The Renegades and the Wand of Stone
by Maisie-Ackerman
Summary: It's 2016 and new students are making their way to Hogwarts. Angela's ready to escape her disapproving father, Felix simply wants to make some new friends, Grant's ready to find out what it means to be a wizard and Porter just wants some good fun. But Darkness is stirring in the magical world and this time it will take a new generation of heroes to stop it. (Longer summery inside)
1. September, 1st, 2016 (part 1)

**THE RENEGADES AND THE WAND OF STONE**

 **By Piper-Audrey Freeman**

* * *

 **SUMMERY:** It's 2016 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and, like every year, a new group of first years are making their way into the school. However, It seems the Hogwarts staff doesn't know just what their getting themselves into because this year they're getting a band of trouble-makers the likes of which they've has never seen. Be prepared to journey back to Hogwarts and meet a new generation of heroes, Angela Sterling-Parkinson, Porter Thornton, Grant Anderson, and Felix Finnigan, as they start what they hope to be the best seven years of their lives.

But Darkness is stirring in the magical world and a recent disappearance is confirming some of Harry Potter's worst fears. Have the Ministry's best Auror's failed to round up all of Voldemort's followers, or is this a new force of Darkness all together? No one is certain and all anyone can know for sure is that something big is going to hit the magical world. Soon. One thing's for certain though, and it's that this new adventure calls for a new set of heroes. A new generation of heroes. _Our_ generation of heroes.

(Next Generation, meaning like Harry, Ron, Hermione and all them's kids. So like Albus and Scorpius and all them. You get the idea. It's kinda epilogue compliant, like, all the major points are the same, like Harry and Ginny got married and had James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter, and Ron and Hermione got married and had Rose and Hugo Granger-Weasley. Again, you get the idea. But you know, some minor things could be off. Also I'm kinda ignoring The Cursed Child, in the sense that I'm picking and choosing what I wanna include. Like the whole plot of it is pretty much out, but like, things like Scorpius's cinnamon roll personality and Draco being an amazing father are totally in.) **  
**

 **WARNING:** Light, light, light swearing in this chapter (Like the word damn or arse, and stuff like that)

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Harry Potter or any of the canon characters. Those rights go to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers and so on and so forth. The only things I own are the story and my original characters such as the Sterling-Parkinson sister, Angela, Elesa, and Pansy, Porter and Courtney Thornton, Grant Anderson, Felix and Teagan Finnigan, Frank, Augusta and Alice Longbottom, Maia and Carina Nott, Randall Maccon, Mimi Carrie, Genevieve and Winifred Snow, Arthur and Clara Weasley, Taylor Wood, Kimberly Macmillan, Silas Zabini, Alec Radcliff, Julius and Clarissa Davenport, Irene Dillinger, Fleur and Alfred Johnston-Delacour, Lydia Thomas, Tansy Dursley, Maxine Hathaway, Alfred, Charlotte, Cain, Orion, Viktoria and Gina Blackbourne, Cedric Chang-Haun, Callie Fitzgerald, among many MANY others. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. (I'll probably put out a proper list of all the characters in this that are my own at some point).

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hi I'm Piper-Audrey, Author of _The Renegades_ Series. This is the first story, _The Wand of Stone_. Anyway if you like this please, please, please, review even if it's just to say to update soon or whatever. Reviews let me know you guys enjoyed the story and encourage me to write, so review! Also I just want to say: I don't mind criticism as long as it's _helpful_. I literally cannot put enough emphasis on that. I really don't care if you don't like the story, if you just want to complain about it. I don't really want to hear it. But, if you don't like it and actually have some constructive feedback on how I can improve upon it, them feel free to let me know! As long as you guys are respectful, I'll be respectful too!

Also feel free to PM me if you like, I'm pretty approachable, so feel free to come to me with anything!(even if you think its dumb) Just shoot me a PM and I'll give you an overly-lengthy reply to whatever it is you're messaging me about. Whether it be suggestions on what should happen in the story, headcannons you'd like me to incorporate into the story, or some theory about this AU you'd like me to consider just hit me up (not literally pls) and who knows I might use them (and of course I'll give you credit in the story.) Whatever you want Just PM me and I'll get back to you. The more feedback I get from you guys, the better. I promise I don't bite!

Also, I'm tell you right now, I'm the author of another Harry Potter fanfiction called _The World's Worst Hogwarts Expirence: An Autobiography._ If you haven't read it yet, it won't affect your enjoyment of this story at all. They're not in the same universe. If you have read it, though, you will notice I do make little references to that fanfiction here and there in this story. I reuse names, and old characters from that story do pop up, such as Charlotte and Alfie. However, I stress this again, they're not in the same universe. They aren't connect, so whatever happens in this story, doesn't really hint to anything that happens later on in this story. So please keep that in mind!

With Love, Piper-Audrey

* * *

 **Chapter One: September, 1st, 2016**

* * *

 *** * 9:13 AM * ***

* * *

 _The room was dark. Dark enough that it seemed to expand into nothingness. It was dark enough that it felt as though I was floating through the endless expanse of space, drifting forever and always. It felt isolated and yet safe… I didn't think it was possible to feel so safe and so small simultaneously._

 _I could feel the skinny warm arms of a woman wrapped around me, holding me as if she wanted to wanted to squeeze me tight enough so that no one could ever take me away, but at the same time, she worried that if she held me too tightly I would break. It was as if she thought I were something delicate and precious. Every inch of my body hoped that she wouldn't let go. I wanted more than anything to stay in her embrace for eternity and longer. I couldn't remember a time when I had felt this loved._

 _Somewhere in the distance a baby cried, shrill, unhappy screams, but even that wasn't enough to disturb the perfect serenity of this hold. If anything the noise filled me with a sense of belonging, as if I were meant to be here. Meant to stay here. What an odd feeling to get from the sound of a baby's cry…_

 _The arms around me shifted, the woman's arms felt soft and warm as they brushed against my skin. The shift of her body against mine brought my gaze upwards to meet her own. It should have been too dark in this room to see her properly, but I could. There was a dim glow illuminating her face. It was almost as if she were glowing…_

 _She leaned over, bringing her face closer to mine, until I could feel the soft black curls of her hair brushing against my face. I couldn't make out the details of her face… They were too blurry and the light illuminating her features was too dim, but her expression was warm and beautiful. It made my heart beat so furiously in my chest I felt as though it were going to break my ribs. My throat felt constricted with all the things I wanted to say and the frustration of knowing that there were no words capable of expressing what I wanted them to. It made me wanna cry the happy kind of tears, and the sad kind as well._

 _Words flooded my ears so fluidly and so naturally, I was almost unsure if the woman had spoken then or if I had thought them myself. It was as though they had always been in my brain, just waiting to be brought to my attention in this woman's clear, calm voice which twinkled with emotion. I imagined if I could see words, these ones would look like little balls of soft, orange light. Like candlelight._

 _"My precious darling… You are so strong, never lose that. Stay strong. Stay brave. Stay true to yourself, and I will always believe in you. Mother loves you so much, my angel, never forget that."_

 _I felt cold ripple through me as that last word left her lips. Suddenly I felt as though I had been wrenched from her arms, even though I hadn't felt anyone pull me back. Suddenly I was cold and alone, in complete darkness as rushed, dangerous sounds filled the space around me, sinking deep into my bones. There were quick frantic footsteps on cobblestone and scared rushed voices blending in together to create the sound of thick, panicked chaos in the air. I could hear woman shouting in the distance, although I couldn't make out what anyone was saying. All I knew was this it felt as though someone had twisted a knife in my gut. I wasn't where I belonged anymore. where ever I was, I wasn't supposed to be there. I needed to get away. I needed to run but my legs wouldn't move. I felt small._

 _Very, very small…_

 _Suddenly I could make out several voices on the streets. I could understand what they were saying, although it took me a moment to collect myself enough in order for my mind to process the words. When I did, I listened for that woman's voice. The one that sounded like twinkling lights._

 _Instead it was a man speaking… "HEY! STOP!"_

 _I heard angry shouting voice and suddenly, a loud bang sounded. It was like a gunshot, whistling through the air and cutting through me like a bullet. I felt as though my insides were being ripped apart._

 _A woman spoke this time, and I felt a flicker of hope in my stomach, wishing for it to be the woman who held me in her arms. But it wasn't. The voice was angrier, higher pitched, and less composed. It was definitely a different woman…_

 _"STOP RIGHT THERE!" She shouted, followed by footsteps fading in the distance. "I'm going after him!"_

 _The man from before shouted after her but it was too late, she was off, I could hear her footsteps echoing along the cobblestones as he shouted, helplessly. "Wait! Don't-!" Just then, he changed the directionality of his voice, his words lower, as if speaking to someone new. He sounded frantic. "Is everyone alright? Are you hurt?"_

 _Another woman, a third one, spoke. It was different from the angry one, and different than the one that held me. She sounded as though she was doing everything within her power to stay calm and to get the situation under control, but she sounded as though she was crying. The sound made my heart clench in a painful manner. "That curse..! I tried get her out of the way! We have to do something- a healer, we have to get her to a healer."_

 _"Oh god," The man sounded as though he were going to be sick. "Oh, no, no, no…"_

 _Suddenly the woman was speaking over the man's hysterical words, forcefully. I thought I heard her shout his name at him, but the sound was too muffled to make out what it had been, "You have to listen to me, if we don't get her to a healer, then-" She seemed to grit her teeth and swallow down the end of that sentence. "Just, Now, okay!"_

 _I felt sick. Who were they talking about? Who needed a healer? I couldn't see a thing, it was if I was blind, sensing something was terribly, heartbreakingly, life-shatteringly wrong, but never knowing for sure. Never really seeing my worst fears unfolding before my eyes, despite the fact that I knew they were there. Somehow that made it worse._

 _"Who!?" I wanted to shout, but I wasn't able to. "WHO!? Who's hurt!? Tell me!"_

 _As if sensing my demands and wishing to torture me further, the other voices in the air faded and disappeared, leaving me in unanswering silence for a moment. I swallowed thickly and clenched my muscles. I felt as though my entire body was shaking, waiting for whatever would eventually come._

 _And come it did. There was only a moment of silence before an ear-shattering scream of agony ripped through the space like a knife cutting through fabric. It struck through me lightning. There was a flash of dark purple light and everything went black._

* * *

Angela sat bolt upright in her bed, sweat caking her face and back. Her breathing was heavy and she felt as though she had just run a three mile race in her nightgown. Yikes, she hoped not, that sounded like a gross amount of exercise for… -she glanced at her phone- nine o'clock in the morning…

Crap, she'd slept in late. She was sure everyone else in the house was already up. She thought about getting up to join them, but instead she decided flopping back into bed was a much better choice.

Ugh, Angela hated that dream. It wasn't the first time she'd had it but it still got to her. She couldn't get over how quickly it escalated. One moment it was all love and warmth and the next? _Bam_! Everything went to shit. It was all loud bangs and screams of agony. It was always that scream at the end that got to her. She just kept thinking about that woman whose arms were around her, and that woman who who screamed at the end. Angela just couldn't help thinking they were the same woman… It made her shiver.

Angela looked at her phone again to double check the time. It was a little after nine. She was surprised Elesa hadn't come to wake her up. After all, it wasn't everyday a girl started her first year at Hogwarts...

Wait.

"IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!" Angela flung herself out of bed so fast her legs got tangled up in the sheets and she hit the ground with a thud. She popped back up no more than a moment later, rushing around her room to get ready.

Elesa emerged in the doorway a minute later, looking amused. Angela was tugging on her robes and shoes all at once, not seeming to care that her skirt was backwards or that she shirt was on inside-out. Elesa couldn't help but let out a giggle as her twin hit the ground for the second time that morning in an attempt to pull on a pair of white socks.

"Angela..?" Elesa giggled, a hand coming up to cover her mouth to mask a snort of amusement. "What are you doing, you look like a mess…"

"Hogwart!" Angela yelled back, as if this explained everything.

"Angie," Elesa laughed. "The Hogwarts Express doesn't leave until 11 on the dot. We have another hour until we have to leave. You have plenty of time…"

Angela looked up from where she was lacing up her shoes, looking disappointed. An hour? That would take forever! "But…"

Elesa sighed, shaking her head.

"Come on, little road runner," she said, pulling out her phone and clicking on the clock app. "I'm going to put… one hour on the clock." She said, holding up her phone screen to show her sister the timer. "Now let's see just how crazy we can make Cassandra before we leave for school."

Angela felt a grin stretch across her face, getting to her feet and offering Elesa her hand for a high five. Elesa giggled and obliged. Elesa always knew just what to do to distract her mischievous twin sister. Angela's mouth was already twisted into the evil-looking smirk Elesa was all too familiar with.

"Is that a challenge?" Angela grinned.

Elesa smirking right back. "You know it is."

* * *

 *** * 10:45 * ***

* * *

"James Sirius Potter, slow down, you're going to end up knocking someone over!" Ginny Potter called over the crowd, disapprovingly, as her son, James, pretended not to listen and pushed his trolley through the crowd recklessly.

Ginny shook her head. She sure hoped the kid would put all that energy to good use on the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year. Yet again, James had never been good listening to directions so that made his participation on any sports team problematic.

He was too independent, too, Ginny thought, It seemed like James had been trying to get away from his mother's side ever since he left the womb. James had somehow convinced himself that he was ready take care of himself, even though Ginny still had to do most of his laundry...

She shock her head.

James paused only a moment at Ginny's words, calling back to her, impatiently, "Come on, mom! Molly and Fred are already waiting for me and if we don't get there soon all the good compartments will be taken! I don't wanna get stuck sitting with a bunch of dumb first years!"

James frowned as his little brother, Albus Severus Potter, narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow at him. Unlike his brother, Albus was sticking close to Ginny's side and leaning away from the other people on the platform as if afraid they were infectious.

"You were just a first year last year!" Albus pointed out, frowning further.

"Yeah, and now I'm a second year! Which makes me twice as good as any first year!" James declared proudly. Albus gave him an unconvinced look. "And do you know what I'll be next year, when you're a first year?"

Albus looked confused, "What?"

"Three times better than you!" James said with a smirk.

"Mom!" Albus whined.

Ginny shook her head once again, giving her older son a disapproving look. "James, be nice to your brother."

"What? I'm always nice!" James argued. "Can we just hurry up!?"

"James, we still have another 15 minutes before the train is due to leave," she sighed. "I'm sure Molly and Fred will still be there when you get to the train- Hey! James! I said no running!" But James had already taken off with his trolley again. Ginny pursed her lips, muttering, "Boys…"

Ginny turned when she heard Harry's good-hearted laugh behind her. She watched as Harry gazed after their over-active son with a grin on his face. Their daughter, Lily, was happily clinging to her father's back, piggy-back style, as she peered after her brother, as well.

"He's gonna crash…" Lily said in a sing-song voice. The sound of metal hitting concrete could be heard a moment late and Lily hummed happily, "He crashed."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Ginny sighed, marching off to find her oldest child. Albus followed close behind, a grin of satisfaction on his face.

Harry shook his head, laughing as he turned back to the matter at hand. Minister of Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley was standing to his left, arms folded across her chest.

"Sorry 'mione," Harry smiled. "You were saying?"

Hermione waved her hand dismissively at the apology and shook her head. "It's okay, I imagine Rose will be quite the same way next year."

"I bet. Although I imagine she'll have the grace not to crash her trolley…" Harry admitted with a laugh, looking over his shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of where his wife and two sons had run off to.

Hermione stifled a laugh.

"Right. So, as I was saying," Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, you see, I tried to tell him it was a bad idea, but you know how stubborn he gets… Once he makes up his mind about something, Merlin knows there's nothing _I_ can do to change it… The head of the department was going to tell you on when you came in on Monday, but I figured you should hear it from a friend."

"Honestly 'mione," Harry looked at her, exasperated. "You make it sound like a bad break-up or something."

"Sounds about right," Lily teased, messing up her father's already messy hair. "You spend more time with him then you do with mom."

"Haha, very funny Lily," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well, it is kind of a big deal, Harry. He is your Auror partner," Hermione argued, looking skeptical. "Shouldn't you at least be a little upset..? I mean and it's such short notice too..."

"I mean, yeah, I guess I _should_ be upset," Harry shrugged. "But I'm not. Honestly, Hermione, what Malfoy chooses to do, or not to do, with his life is none of my business. Trust me, I gave that game up a long time ago. If he wants to take a year off to spend time with Astoria and Scorpius, that's his choice."

"That's…" Hermione paused. "Mature of you…"

"Hermione, I'm thirty-six years old with three kids, why does it still shock you that I can be mature?"

Hermione gave him a long look.

"Alright, yeah," Harry huffed in defeat.

"I'm just saying," Hermione shrugged. "If Daphne did something like that that to Ron…"

Harry nodded. Everyone knew the hell Ron and Daphne would rise over something like this. Not that the two of them didn't get along. They got along great. They were almost as close as Ron and Harry - _Almost_ \- and they were one hell of an Auror team. It was just that every once in awhile, when something went wrong, they both just exploded. loudly. Sometimes office supplies were thrown. But they always made up afterwards and went back to being their usual selves, so everyone in the office just kind of let it happen. The occasional screaming match between the fiery redhead and the headstrong blond was well worth it for the amount of good work those two did together anyway.

Harry simply shrugged, "Yeah, well, I'm not Ron. And Merlin knows Draco Malfoy isn't Daphne Greengrass." Harry scoffed, "I wish…"

Hermione smacked him in the arm playfully.

"Anyway," Hermione sighed. "I guess you'll get a weeks or so off from work for now. Just until your department head can assign you a temporary partner. I don't think it should take-"

"I don't need one," Harry answer immediately, causing Hermione to give him a confused look.

"What do you mean?" She asked. "If you plan on working in the department, you need a partner. It's ministry policy."

"I don't plan on working in the department," Harry said plainly. Hermione gave him a startled look causing him to add in quickly, "I mean, I do plan to work in the department, eventually. I just mean, I plan on waiting for Malfoy to get back from his vacation, or whatever it is he's doing."

"Harry…" Hermione started in disapprovingly, but Harry held up his hand to stop her with a soft smile.

"Come on, 'mione, it makes sense, Ginny and I are wealthy enough to support ourselves for a year, even without me working full time," Harry explained, Hermione still looked unsure, but Harry continued anyway. "Look, Ginny's got her new job away from home and if I just take the year off until Malfoy gets back, I can stay at home with Lily and Albus and avoid all the trouble of breaking in a new partner."

Lily piped up excitedly, still on Harry's back. " _Oh my gosh_! Really, dad? You're gonna stay home with us? _All year_!?"

Harry laughed at her enthusiasm, and nodded. "Yeah, that's right, Lil. I mean, that is, if your mother agrees with it, but I see no reason why she wouldn't."

Lily scrambled to hop down off her father's back, her unruly red hair just barely managing to be held back in a sloppy ponytail. Harry almost felt bad, having passed on the "untamable-hair gene" to her, but she never seemed to mind. Lily's hair was the last thing on her mind, given her tomboyish attitude.

"Oh man! Albus is gonna flip!" She squealed. "We're gonna have pizza and play call-of-duty all night, every night! Yes!"

And with that Lily ran off to go find her brother, leaving Harry to face a frowning Hermione, who was giving him a disapproving look.

"What?" Harry defended. "It was one night!"

"Okay," Hermione said. "But don't be expecting to babysit Rose or Hugo anytime soon."

Harry laughed at the mock threat. "See? That's another thing! If I take the year off you and Ron won't have to babysit Albus and Lily all the time."

Hermione immediately began to argue, "Oh, but Harry, it's really no trouble! Rose adores Albus. She loves the company and Hugo and Lily are practically inseparable-"

"I know, I know, Hermione, I know," Harry cut her off. "I just feel like it would be easier on everyone if I just waited for Malfoy."

Hermione, paused looking at him for a long moment, as if he were a particularly troubling book she was trying to read. "I don't like it."

Harry drew his eyebrows together, confused. "Don't like what?"

"You putting her life on pause for Draco Malfoy," Hermione said, Harry almost thought she was being serious until her face broke out into a small smirk, shaking her head at her best friend. "It's just a little too weird for me…"

Harry's face broke out into a grin. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It is a little weird. I never would have guessed it eighteen years ago but, honestly, he's not so bad. I mean, he's still _Malfoy_ , but I guess I'm starting to think that _Malfoy_ isn't the worst thing a person can be…"

"What a lovely sentiment," Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling. "But seriously, Harry, what about your case load? Who's going to take on all those investigations?"

"I imagine they'll split it all up among the other Auror teams," Harry shrugged. "I know a couple of people in the office have been complaining about wanting more hours."

"Alright…" Hermione said slowly.

"Oh, but, um," Harry lowered his voice, suddenly, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "There is one case Malfoy and I were working on that I think Ron and Daphne should take a look at specifically."

Hermione furrowed her brow. "Which case?"

"It's a, um, missing person's case," Harry said, with a frown. "You remember how Ollivander took on an apprentice a few year back?"

"Yeah."

"Well, If you remember he started making some big innovations in wand mechanics a couple years ago" Harry explained.

Hermione nodded, "I remember, I had to get him all the permits personally because the experiments he was doing… Well, they were unprecedented." Hermione said, "The only reason I agreed to help was because he was a friend of mine back in our first year of Hogwarts. You know, back before you and I-" Harry nodded in understanding, "-Yes, if I do recall he was a Ravenclaw, his name was Alfred, right?"

"Yes, well, he would go missing from the shop for a while working on these projects, so no one really realized he was missing until a couple weeks ago. It's just… There are, well, certain similarities between this case and a case from back in 2003, when I first started working in the department… You know, the" Harry cleared his throat, "The, uh, Ezekiel Bonnet case…"

"Oh," Hermione said, letting that sink in, " _Oh_ …"

"Yeah, it's just," Harry frowned, "This guy, Alfred, goes missing from his studio way out in the countryside and his family doesn't realize he's gone for a few days because it's not unusual to be gone overnight. He's gone for a few days and his wife goes to check on him and he's gone. Both Alfred and Bonnet are around the same age at the time of abduction, both are male, and have extreme talent in their fields of work. Ezekiel Bonnet was a Seer, and Alfred Blackbourne's a wand-maker. Both places were tore apart and everything in it destroyed with some kind of shattering spell... I just, I don't know, I just have a feeling about this. I know they're connected somehow."

Hermione nodded in understanding letting that sink in for another moment longer before nodding again, "Okay, I'll make sure Ron and Daphne take a look at this…"

Harry took a deep breath before smiling a little at his friend.

"Anyway, Minister," Harry said, with a slight dramatic flair in the way he said Minister, "I didn't mean to keep you so long, I'm sure you're busy."

Hermione shook her head, "it's alright, I'm not too busy today. I don't have to be at the ministry for another hour, then Rose has a dentist's appointment at four…"

Harry nodded, "Ah, right, say hi to your mom for me then."

"I will," Hermione nodded, smiling a little. She loved that Harry remembered little things like the fact that Rose's dentist was her grandmother. She had only ever had two other friend who knew her like that and those were Ron and-

Hermione lost her train of thought the moment a streak of dark black hair crossed her line of vision, moving through the crowd with energy and confidence. Immediately Hermione's brow furrowed, craning her head to get a closer look. It was a girl. A first year girl most likely, with a huge grin on her face and a determined look in her eyes as she pushed her way through the crowd.

Hermione had only ever known one other girl who moved like that…

"Hermione?" Harry put his hand on her shoulder, and Hermione looked up, realizing that he had probably called her several times before she had noticed. Harry knit his eyebrows, looking down at her with concern as her eyes flicked back over to where the girl she just disappeared into the crowd, "Are you okay…?" he asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said slowly, her brow creasing, taking half a step forward before looking back at her best friend briefly, "Yeah, I'm fine, I just… I just wanna check something… I'll be right back."

* * *

 *** * 10:50 * ***

* * *

Angela used her trolley as a battering ram in order to push her way to the front of the crowd. It wasn't the politest way to get through the crowd, but it was effective and, let's be honest, who doesn't love effectiveness, so Angela was guessing everyone secretly appreciated it. Yup. That seemed just about right. Flawless logic.

As soon as Angela and her family had made it onto the platform, Angela had taken off. Angela's sisters and father could never keep up with her and there was no way on earth that Angela could contain herself, so she had ditched them.

When Angela had finally pushed her way through the last of the people standing between her and the Hogwarts Express, Angela was left staring, wide eyed, at the cherry red and black train in front of her.

 _Damn_.

Angela could feel a hot ball of excitement building up in her stomach even now. She'd been waiting years for this. Maybe even her whole life! Now she was here and she couldn't stop the squeal of excitement rippling through her as she stood on this magic platform for a magic train that was going to take her to a magic school and- "OoooooooOOOH YES! Hogwarts, here I come!"

Angela pumped her fist in the air, getting a few odd looks from the people around her, but Angela couldn't bring herself to care.

 _Okay,_ Angela, She took a deep breath, _Game time. Focus._

Angela began scanning the crowd for other first years. If someone interesting popped up then Angela could make her very first friend and then they could sit together on the train and maybe even be in the same house! The very thought had the girl shaking with excitement.

That was going to be the best part about this whole thing: making her own friends. Angela had never gotten to make her own friends before. When you were born a Sterling-Parkinson, your friends were made for you.

Angela hated it.

All her life, Angela had been raised to be a prim and proper, well-behaved, little pure-blood witch. - _Gag_ \- All Angela wanted to do was be a-… a, um- Er, whatever the opposite of a prim and proper, well-behaved, little pure-blood witch was. The whole thing made her sick. But! For the first time, Angela had a chance to be what she wanted. Not what her father wanted her to be.

And it was going to be great!

The best part of all this was that her father couldn't tell her what to do anymore.

Well... he could, but not as much as he usually did. Like, he couldn't tell her who to hang out with anymore. Which was great because he was always trying to pick out kids who were "good influences" on her. It was annoying as all hell. He was always picking dumb pure-blood prats who Angela hated. If those were Angela's good influences, then she was more than ready for some bad ones.

Bad influences that _Angela_ had picked out. Not her father.

 _Yes_! This was Angela's first taste of freedom, and she was so ready for it. She was ready to do some real damage to this school, and with her father being who he was, well… Just keep in mind that there is no crazy like real repressed crazy. Angela smirked at all the things she had planned. Hogwarts wouldn't know what hit it!

Angela looked up again in search of other first years, sighing heavily when her eyes landed on a group of eleven-year-olds to her left. Unfortunately, she recognized them…

 _Welp_ , Angela thought, _Speaking of dumb pure-blood prats…_

Angela's eyes immediately locked on Julius and Clarissa Davenport and their obnoxious group of friends, laughing at something Irene Dillinger had said as if it was the funniest thing they had ever heard in their life.

Angela rolled her eyes. She was 110% sure that if it had come from Irene Dillinger's mouth it wasn't that funny.

Angela hated Julius and Clarissa Davenport with a fiery passion. Well… Maybe she didn't hate them but they sure were a pain in the arse. She'd known them since she was five years old and they were nothing more than spoiled-rotten little snobs who thought they were so special because their family was rich. Angela didn't understand why that was such a big deal to them. So what? Angela's family was rich too but you didn't hear Angela bragging to the whole world about it. Honestly... Angela was one hundred and ten percent sure the only reason their father forced her and Elesa to hang out with them was because he thought the whole 'twin-thing' would give them something in common.

The only thing Angela liked about the Davenports was that they were so easy to mess with and their reactions were _hilarious_. Seriously, as far as Angela was concerned, you have not lived until you'd seen Julius Davenport flail. It was to die for.

Angela recognized a few other people in the Davenports' friend group, but not a whole lot of them. She recognized Silas Zabini quickly enough, but she didn't bother wasting time with him. Silas Zabini was another person she'd been forced to hang out with growing up, but Silas had never really been all that interested Angela. That was fine though. Angela hadn't really been interested in him either. The only reason Angela was cool with him was because he, at least, kept his shitty opinions to himself.

The rest of the Davenport's little party was made up of various different annoyances such as Irene Dillinger, who was so full of herself it made Angela want to bash her own skull in with a rock, and Levi Harper, who wasn't necessarily a bad person although he was boring as all hell. The rest of the kids Angela didn't recognize but, honestly, she didn't really care to, anyway.

Angela was pulled out of though when she felt a soft, warm hand on her shoulder. She was almost certain it was Elesa, having finally caught up with her, but when she turned around Angela didn't find her twin sister behind her but a woman with dark skin, frizzy brown curls, and warm brown eyes, She seemed to be staring at Angela as if she was seeing a ghost…

"Angela?" Angela felt a chill run down her spine when the woman spoke her name. That voice… Where had she heard that voice before..? Now that she thought about it, where had she seen this woman before? She knew she looked familiar but she couldn't remember where she knew her from.

Then it clicked.

"Oh my shit," Angela let the words slip out before she could stop herself. Realizing her mistake she slapped a hand over her mouth and blushed, "Oh f- I, um, sorry… but aren't you..? I mean, you- You're Hermione Granger-Weasley… You're, like, Minister of Magic..."

 _Yes_ , Angela thought to her herself, proudly, _Good job. That was almost english._

"Oh, Yes, I am," Hermione laughed a little, her eyes crinkling around the edges but never taking her eyes off Angela, as if afraid she'd disappear, "I'm Hermione Granger-Weasley. It's nice to meet you."

"Angela Sterling-Parkinson," Angela said, instantly, holding out her hand, just like her father had taught her. It had been so drilled into her head, Angela didn't even stutter, despite how nervous she was.

"I know," Hermione said, taking Angela's hand and shaking it.

"You do..?" Angela knit her eyebrows, confused.

"I do," Hermione's cheeks grew hot as she looked down at Angela, suddenly very aware of what she was doing. But she couldn't stop herself. "I saw you, and it's just, you look so much like your mother…"

Angela blinked in surprise, "My mother…?"

"Of course you have your father's hair," Hermione mused softly, "but you you have her nose and her eyes, and you most certainly do have her cheekbones…"

Angela felt her hand's go to her cheeks which were rapidly heating up, even if you couldn't tell with her dark complexion. She looked like her mother..? No one ever told Angela that. People in her family rarely talked about her mother, let alone told her she looked like her.

Wait… Her mother. Suddenly it clicked.

 _"I tried get her out of the way! We have to do something."_

That voice! She knew where she knew it from now.

"Minister," Speaking of voices, an icy one cut through the air, shattering the warmth of that moment. When Angela looked up she wasn't at all surprised to see her father standing over the two of them, his eyes trained on Hermione in a sharp glare.

Angela's father was a tall, intimidating man, with wide shoulders and a authoritative air about him. He had dark skin, like his daughters, and a shaven head with eyes so black you couldn't tell where the pupil ended and the iris began. Angela always joked that her father looked like an accountant from hell, because he had that superior attitude and dark stare, but always wore these boring and dull gray suits. The most color he ever wore was a pale blue tie he sometimes wore when he was feeling festive.

"Mister Sterling…" Hermione responded slowly.

"Angela!" Elesa piped up, hopping over to take her place beside her twin, looking between the Minister of Magic and their father with a concerned look in her eyes. She turned her gaze to look at Angela and raised an eyebrow. All Angela could do was shrug in confusion.

"Minister Granger-Weasley," Their father's icy tone didn't sway even a little bit, "I know it's your job to stick your nose where it doesn't belong, but perhaps you could do me the favor of keeping in mind what we agreed upon at our last meeting. Or do you need me to refresh your memory?"

"Winter, really," Hermione started, and Angela was surprised to hear her father's first name, "I wasn't as if I was hurting anyone, It's been ten-"

"Ten years?" Angela's father supplied, "Why yes, I realize. And if you do recall, it was ten years ago, I told you to stay away from my family." He lowered his voice to a growl, eyes sliding down to narrow at Angela, "Especially my daughter…"

Angela and Elesa exchanged a look. What was that about? Her Father's words swam in Angela's mind. He had said 'especially my daughter.' Daughter. Singular. And then looked at Angela directly. Why not 'daughters'? There were three of them after all. It wasn't as if their father was even all that protective when it came to Angela. When it came to Elesa and Pans? Sure. They all knew Angela was the least favorite daughter. She was the most argumentative and problematic. As far as their father was concerned Elesa and Pans were angels compared to Angela. But Angela was sure he had looked at her. He never narrowed his eyes like that at Elesa or Pans.

This whole conversation was weird as hell in general. Since when did their father know the Minister of Magic? And why had he told her to stay away from their family? What could have possibly happened between Hermione Granger-Weasley and their father to make him dislike her so much. Well, Angela was assuming it was something more than just the fact that Hermione was a Muggle-born and their dad was the most annoying pure-blood supremacist to walk the earth… Well, that might be enough to do it, but Angela got the feeling it was something more, especially since Hermione seemed to have known Angela's mother.

Right! Her mother… that voice. Angela was sure of it now. Especially having heard her speak like that to her father. She had heard it in her dream. She was that woman. The one trying to get control of the situation. The one calling for a healer just before that scream of agony made her wake up… Was that really a dream? Angela wasn't sure anymore. She didn't know if it had been a dream, or a memory. But, from when? Angela needed to know...

"But father, the Minister was just-" Angela said

"No Angela," Her father practically hissed at her, causing Angela to close her mouth and frown. Angela knew that tone of voice and already knew arguing further would get her nowhere. "Minister Granger-Weasley was just leaving. Without saying anything that she shouldn't."

"Well, Winter," Hermione said, straightening to her full height and narrowing her eyes at the girls' father, "That would depend on your definition of what I should and shouldn't say, now wouldn't it. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with telling a girl what she deserves to know about her mother."

Angela was looking up at Hermione with wide eyes.

 _Oh daaamn._

No one spoke to their father like that, except maybe Angela. And that was only when Angela got really mad. Usually it resulted in some heavy duty punishment, like getting her phone taken away or getting grounded for a week. Hermione just did it casually, like it was nothing, and _got away with it!_ Angela respected that.

But, right, that wasn't the important part about all this. Well, how awesome Hermione Friggin' Granger-Weasley was was pretty important but all this talk about Angela's mother was the thing she should be focusing on.

How did Minister of Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley, know her mother? Had they been friends? Angela knew they had been in the same Hogwarts year but she didn't think they had been friends… But yet again, no one in Angela's family really talked about her mother's friends. Did Hermione know something Angela didn't? What did she deserve to know about her mother? What happened ten years ago..? All Angela could remember was that was the year that her mother had died. Did Hermione have something to do with that?

"Well, despite all that I suppose she is your daughter. I'll let you decide whether or not you're doing right by her," Hermione hummed, coldly, "By either of them. Have a nice day, Winter and" She looked back at Angela "Welcome to Hogwarts…"

Angela swallowed heavily and stared, entranced, as Hermione walk away, disappearing back into the crowd.

 _Wow_ , She blinked. _She's something else, now ain't she._..

* * *

 *** * 10:56 * ***

* * *

"So," Angela's father said, finishing up the same speech he'd given the twins at least eight times in the last week alone, "don't try and act as though you aren't capability of being at the top of your classes. We didn't waste all that money on tutors this summer for you two to go running around causing a ruckus. I expect an owl at least once a week from each of you. I didn't get you an owl for you not to use it, Elesa."

Elesa nodded and hugged her owl cage to her chest. Inside, her southern white-faced owl, Pookinson, cooed softly and cocked his head to the side. Elesa looked over to Angela, gave a small eye roll and a smile.

"It's not fair," their little sister, Pansy piped up miserably from where she stood next to their father. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest and she was pouting like a child, "Why did I have to be born a year younger? I want to go to Hogwarts, too! I don't wanna stay home all alone! It's going to be so boring!"

"Ah, cheer up Pans," Angela tried to console her sister with a small smile, "It's just another year's wait before your first year. Besides, you won't be alone, you'll have father with you… and Cassandra…"

Angela muttered that last part, making Pansy scowl.

"I don't wanna be home alone with _Cassandra_..!" Pansy complained bitterly, making Angela chuckled slightly at the disapproving scowl her father was now sporting. Angela couldn't blame her poor sister, though. She wouldn't want to spend a whole year alone with their father and his new girlfriend either.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, kiddo," Angela rubbed the back of her neck and laughed nervously, trying to avoid the look her father was giving her. Luckily, a sharp whistle from the train signaled a chance for escape and Angela stood up quickly, "Anyway we really should get going, isn't that right, Elesa?"

Elesa nodded in agreement and reached up to hug her father goodbye and kiss his cheek. Angela saw their father smile at her twin and whisper softly in her ear, "I'm expecting you to make top marks in your year, Elesa. You're brilliant, love, I know you can do it."

Angela frowned. Of course he didn't expect Angela to make top marks. He expected Elesa to. But, really, what else did she expect..? Angela knew she wasn't her father's favorite child. Pansy was. Always had been. Then came Elesa, and then, if she was lucky, Angela came in as least favorite. Sometimes Angela wasn't even sure her father even liked her. They argued all the time and he never expected anything of Angela. Sure, he expected her not to embarrass the family, but she wasn't really sure that counted for much.

Angela shoved those thoughts from her mind, turning to hug her younger sister goodbye before ruffling her dark curls and smiling.

"Give Cassandra hell for me, kay?" Angela giggled with a wink.

Pansy snickered at that, "You bet."

Angela offered her hand up for a high five and Pansy obliged with a grin.

Angela smiled, knowing she could count on Pansy. The three of them, Angela, Elesa, and Pansy, had been trying to make their father's girlfriend, Cassandra, as miserable as possible for months in an attempt to get her to break up with their father. That woman was even worse than their father when it came to the whole pureblood thing and it made their father ten times more unbearable. There was no way the three of them were going to stand around and let that (literal) witch romance their father and ruin their lives at the same time. It was absolutely disgusting.

Angela turned from her sister and wiped the smirk off her face as she turned to her father. Elesa hugged Pansy, squeezing gently and giggling as she kissed her forehead.

Angela and her father found themselves looking at one another for a moment before sharing a stiff hug (nothing like the one he had just shared with Elesa.) Angela gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away.

"I'll see you over Christmas vacation, okay?" She gave a small pause, "I love you."

"Love you, too." Angela nodded again before turning back to her twin, grabbing hand and her stuff before hurrying off to climb on the train. Pansy waved with vigor and their father stood stiffly on the platform, his face completely unreadable.

Yup. Angela was _so_ ready to go to Hogwarts...

Kids were rushing around the train calling to one another and piling into compartments noisily, bumping into her as they rushed past and yelling to one another in her ear. Angela loved it. This was what Hogwarts was all about. Being a normal kid… with magical powers, but a normal kid nonetheless.

Angela finally settled into the window seat of an empty train compartment and watched as the last few straggling students shuffled onto the train.

No more than a second later was Angela smacked in the arm, hard.

"Ow!" She said, staring at her twin sister, "What was that for?"

"Nothing!" Elesa said, "Now, tell me what all that was about!"

Elesa waved her hand vaguely towards the platform.

Angela blinked a moment before realizing she was referring to what had happened between their father and Hermione and all that.

"Oh…" Angela frowned, "Well, I- I'm not one hundred percent sure… All I know is that she approached me on the platform and told me that…"

Angela paused, biting her lip.

Elesa smacked her again.

"Ow!"

"She told you what!?"

Angela glared at her sister rubbing her arm, "You need to learn to be gentle…"

"You need to tell me what that was before I die of curiosity, what all was that!? What did she tell you!?" Elesa was staring at her intently with big, curious eyes.

"She told me I looked like mom," Angela said finally, pursing her lips. Elesa looked down at her lap for a long time, letting that sink in…

Finally Elesa looked up at her sister again, "You do have her cheekbones…"

Angela rolled her eyes, "Other than that, I'm just as lost as you are. Any theories about what happened between dad and the minister ten years ago? Or how the Minister of magic knew mom at all? I'm open to any suggestions at this point. I have no idea..."

"Well, mom did work for the ministry," Elesa offered.

"Yeah but not that high up," Angela frowned, "Maybe though… It's odd…"

Angela turned her attention out the window, scanned the crowd of parents. It only took a few moments to find Hermione Granger-Weasley's bushy brown hair in the crowd. Angela watched her, deep in thought, until something else caught her eye, pushing all thoughts of the minister of magic and her annoying dad out of her mind.

Angela blinked, sitting up straighter and squinting.

This time is was Angela who smacked Elesa.

"Ow!" Elesa complained, "That hurt..."

"Good," Angela smirked, "But seriously, look!"

Angela pointed out the train window at the crowd, grinning excitedly over at her sister. Elesa blinked in confusion, leaning in to gaze over Angela's shoulder at whatever it was she was pointing at.

"What?" Elesa asked, "What are we looking at?"

"Is that _Harry Potter_?" Angela asked, "It is, isn't it! Over there in the black blazer. See? And that woman next to him! Is that who I think it is?"

Angela grinned at her sister, plugging her fingers in her ear in anticipation of-

"EEEEE!" -That. Elesa squealed excitedly in Angela's ear, "Oh my GODS! that's _GINNY POTTER!_ "

Of course, Angela knew exactly who that was. How could she not? There was no mistaking Ginny Potter in the Sterling-Parkinson family. Angela knew that beautiful red haired woman's face better than she knew her own. Elesa's bedroom back home was covered wall to wall with posters of her and the other Holyhead Harpies. But mostly of Ginny. Angela was lucky if she went a whole day without seeing that face. There was no way she wouldn't recognize it.

Elesa's eyes lighting up brighter than Angela had ever seen them before.

"Oh my goodness, I read somewhere that their son was going to be a second year this year, but I didn't even think to look for them on the platform. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Wow, that's the real Ginny Potter… I think I might faint…"

And Angela believed her. Elesa got waaaay too excited over Quidditch. Honestly, Angela never got the hype. What was the point of cheering for a Quidditch team if you didn't get to play? Angela loved to play, but she didn't exactly follow any professional teams. Elesa was the exact opposite. She never played but she loved to watch and cheer on her favorite teams. She was a bit of a fangirl when it came to the Holyhead Harpies. At the moment, she looked stuck between bouncing off the walls and passing out.

Angela chuckled and fanned her sister with her hand.

"She was a Gryffindor chaser, you know," Elesa said, "Before the war and all that. She was the Gryffindor chaser, and then she was part of Dumbledore's Army in the war, and ran it while Harry was gone, and fought against Voldemort, and dueled Bellatrix Lestrange and married Harry Potter and joined the Holyhead Harpies and-"

"And became the best professional Quidditch chaser of all time, I know, I know," Angela finished for her, She had her sister's little speech memorized, "Believe me, Elesa, I know, you talk about it so often it will be a miracle if I can ever forget it."

"Oh, do you think I have enough time to get off the train and meet her?" Elesa asked, hopefully.

Angela shrugged and pulled out her Iphone, "Um, seeing as how it's 10:59, I don't think so…"

"Angela!" Elesa looked at her, shocked, "You were supposed to leave your phone with father! There are no electronics allowed at Hogwarts! You're gonna get it taken away."

"Ah," Angela giggled, "You mean if I get caught."

"You're terrible…" Elesa shook her head.

Suddenly there was a small jolt and Elesa and Angela were both knocked backwards into their seats as the train began to pull forward.

"Anyway, unless you plan on jumping off a moving train, I guess you won't get to meet Ginny Potter today. Sorry Elesa," Angela said, patting her sister's shoulder comfortingly as she watched her idol disappear into the distance. Angela tried to perk up her sister by nudged her softly, "Hey, look on the bright side! We're going to Hogwarts! You said Ginny's son is going to be second year this year? Well, he's only a year older than us, so we could totally become friends with him, right?"

"I guess so," Elesa shrugged, looking at her sister with a raised eyebrow.

"Well then, when we get to Hogwarts," Angela declared, placing a hand dramatically over her heart "I solemnly swear that I will personally see to it that you and James Potter become friends, so that he'll introduce you to his mother, Okay?"

Elesa's face brightened, smiling at her twin brightly, "Really?"

"And Truly," Angela grinned, offering her sister her open palm.

Elesa grinned as well, giggling and giving her a high-five.

* * *

 *** * 12:29 * ***

* * *

Porter Thornton sat in his train compartment. He was not alone…

Narrowing his eyes at his enemies, Porter examined each of them for weaknesses. His eyes were locked on the biggest threat, but he sensed no weaknesses. Porter couldn't see any sort of emotion on the man's face, except for the slight twisted smirk on his lips. It could be a bluff… Or not… Oh no, Porter was in trouble. If he show even a bit of weakness he was dead. He had to remain calm and make his move.

"Your move Thornton," taunted his enemy, a dark look in his eyes "or are you ready to beg for mercy?"

"Not even close, Anderson. Get ready to eat your words," Porter scoffed, sliding the remainder of money across the table, "I'm all in."

Porter's best friend, Grant Anderson, looked at him unintimidated. Porter gulped. _Uh-oh_ … Grant scoffed, sliding his few sickles and galleons across the table too, "I'm all in if you're all in. I know your bluffing, I can see it on your face."

Crap.

Finally both parties slapped their cards down on the table. Porter gulped as Grant fixed him with a smirk and a scoff taking in each of our hands.

"You should have cut your losses Thornton," Grant teased, "Full house. Read 'em and weep."

"Aw, come on!" Porter complained, "How do you even do that?"

"By being a better poker player than you, that's how," Grant grinned, "I mean come on, did anyone even teach you how to bluff, it's pitiful, Thornton, just pitiful. Which means, I'm buying everyone chocolate frogs when the trolley comes around. With Thornton's money. Victory is sweet."

"It was a lucky guess and you know it, Anderson," Porter rolled his eyes, "Play me in muggle poker then we'll see who's the real winner."

"Dude, first off, I mastered Muggle poker long before I even found out wizard poker was a thing, so yeah, good luck with that, and second off, Muggle poker and wizard poker are literally the exact same thing," Grant countered.

"They are too different!" Porter argued, indignantly, "In muggle poker, the pictures on the cards don't move. It's really quite distracting"

"That sounds like a cheap excuse for being so bloody awful at this game, Thornton," answered Lorcan Scamander. The blond was sitting diagonally from Porter, sporting a cheeky grin.

Porter pouted, "Yeah says the guy who folded in the first round. What? Did you realize you didn't stand a chance against either of us, Scamander?"

"No!" Lorcan shot back, insulted, "You just dealt me a bad hand! I bet you cheated didn't you, Porter."

"I bet he did too," Grant grinned, "I bet he cheated and he still couldn't beat me."

"Yeah, whatever, Anderson. Ya know, I just love the big headed look on you. Very chique."

Grant laughed as Porter rolled his eyes, watching Grant pull the money on the table in his direction with a satisfied smirk just as the compartment door opened.

"Aw, and it looks like the trolleys here just in time," Grant said.

"Unfortunately not yet, it's just me," The three boys looked up as Lorcan's twin brother, Lysander, entered the train compartment, taking s seat next to Porter, "The trolley's held up a few compartments down. From the looks of things, I think the Davenports are buying the thing out or something."

"Ohhh hell nah," Grant cried, starting to get up, "Sorry but Juliet is not eating _my_ chocolate frogs, not today, nuh-uh."

Porter didn't pay much mind. He'd heard Grant complain about the Davenports a million times and yeah they were annoying but Porter didn't hate them nearly as much as Grant did. He just liked to mess with them. It wasn't really in Porter's nature to seriously hate anyone. If someone didn't like him, Porter made them like him. Usually through pranks and other antics. Did it always work? No. Most of the time? Not even a little bit, but sometimes he could force people to go along with his craziness. Julius and Clarissa were not one of these people… yet. Porter was still working on converting them to the dark side.

Lorcan pulled Grant back into his chair, and raised an eyebrow, "Juliet? _Julius_ Davenport's a dude."

"Really? Cause if you've heard him talk about his hair, you'd think differently," Grant promised, causing Porter to snort with laughter.

"Well, if you're gonna do something about it, you'd better do it quick, big-shot," Lysander teased, "before all the chocolate frogs are gone. I assume Thornton lost and is buying now?"

"Hey!" Porter pouted

* * *

 *** * 12:27 * ***

* * *

Elesa was sitting with a magazine open on her lap. It was the newest issue of Witch Weekly and had Ginny Weasley on the cover so of course Elesa was pouring over it religiously. She had the magazine flipped open to an article about Ginny and her family with a big moving picture in the middle of the page with Ginny and her three kids gathered together, smiling at one another happily.

Ginny was obviously the pretty red headed woman in the middle, but Angela had to read the caption to identify her kids. To her left, the boy with the green eyes and undercut was apparently James Sirius Potter, Ginny and Harry's oldest child. He was smirking at the camera confidently with a hand on his hip. He looked like he was trying way too hard to look cool in Angela's opinion, but hey, whatever.

To Ginny's right stood Albus Severus Potter, their second child who, apparently, had a really unfortunate name. Like... yikes. Albus had black hair, like his brother's although it had been cut in a neat preppy fashion. He had serious-looking brown eyes and an outfit than made him look like he went to some kind of rich-kid private school or something. He looked seriously uncomfortable though. His smile seemed fixed like he wanted to be anywhere but in front of a camera. It made Angela laugh.

Standing directly in front of her mother was Lily Luna Potter, the Potter's youngest child and only daughter. She had messy, out-of control red hair and bright green eyes and about a million freckles. She smirked confidently at the camera, held up a peace sign and laughed. That made Angela smile. Lily seemed confident but not like she was trying too hard, like James, and not like she was trying to mask her discomfort, like Albus. Lily Luna Potter looked like someone Angela could get along with.

Angela busied herself memorizing James Potter's face so that she could pounce the moment she saw him. Angela didn't exactly consider herself noble. In fact she prided herself on being a troublemaker but Angela did have one thing going for her and that was that she was true to her word. Angela never broke a promise. Especially not to Elesa. If Angela said she was going to make James Potter be her sister's friend, she was going to make James Potter be her sister's friend, and nothing on god's green earth was going to stop her.

Angela only glanced up from the paper when she heard noise outside their train compartment. A loud noise. Like a blow horn. It had started out soft but seemed to grow louder every second. Elesa and Angela looked up at one another, quirking a brow.

"What on earth is that?" Elesa asked, confused, furrowing her brow, concerned.

"Welp, Only one way to find out," Angela shrugged.

Angela got up as casually as she could and climbed over Elesa, putting herself in between her sister and whatever it was making that noise. Ya know, just in case. She reached for the door handle and opened it.

Angela couldn't help the small squeak of surprise she let out when something small and noisy whizzed past her head.

Several other people had also leaned their head out of their compartments as well, watching with shocked faces or grins as the object flew around the train in a blur.

Wait… that didn't just sound like a blow horn. That was a blow horn! with _wings_? Angela marveled at the thing in wonder. That thing had to be from that joke shop father never let them go in. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

The joke blow horn whipped by once more, shrieking horribly, knocking Elesa and Angela back into their compartment with it's noise.

 _Yup,_ Angela thought, _that is most definitely a blow horn with wings..._

The thing flew towards Angela suddenly, as if sensing her thoughts. It stopped in front of Angela, and floated, silently Angela and the blow horn studied each other for a moment before the bloody thing honked loudly in her face and flew off again. There was great laughter at this, especially from two ginger-headed teens down at the end of the hallway.

The two teens both had curly hair, a million freckles, and mischievous grins. If they hadn't been laughing at her, Angela would have probably thought this great fun. Except she didn't exactly appreciate blow horns flying in her face. Nevertheless the two teens reminded her of somewhat of Lily Luna Potter from the photo in Elesa's book.

"They're from my dad's shop," said one of the teens, a tall, tan-skinned boy, gesturing towards the winged blow horn, "Tried setting a bunch of 'em off in his office once but he just said that they're only half as annoying to him since he only has one ear."

"My uncle's got the most amazingly brilliant sense of humor, doesn't he? Somewhat morbid though, not that I mind," The other teen snickered, this one a pointy nosed girl with twinkling eyes, "Personally, I aspire to it."

The two teens high fived and laughed. Angela looked at her sister -who was staring on, unamused- and grinned. Those two looked like a couple of kids Angela could get used to hanging out around. They did look like some amazingly _bad_ influences…

Suddenly the shrinking of the blow horn was cut off as it was snatched out of the air by the fat wrinkled hand of an old lady. Angela watched as the blow horn wilted at her touch, turning inanimate once more. The other children let out different disappointed 'aw's as the old witch smiled sweetly, calling out, "Sweets from the trolley, dears? Anything sweet from the trolley?"

Several kids payed for sweets but most of them simply closed their compartment doors once more, frowning now that the fun was over.

Angela eyed the trolley with a grin. Her sister pulled her back.

"Angela, we only get a certain amount of money each week for allowance, please do not spend it all on candy," Elesa sighed.

"Not all of it," Angela promised, pulling out of her sister's grip as the Trolley stopped in front of them, "Just most of it…"

* * *

 *** * 12:32 * ***

* * *

Grant located the trolley within a two minutes flat. There was no way on earth Julius and Clarissa friggin' Davenport were going to stand between him and his chocolate frogs. This was very important to him. Very important. Grant just wanted one nice wizarding experience. Was that too much to ask? One wizard experience where the Davenports weren't ruining everything. They had ruined his first time at a real Quidditch game, they had ruined his first trip to Diagon Alley with the Thorntons, and now they were going to ruin his first time riding the Hogwarts Express too? No, nuh-uh, no way. Grant was going to get those chocolate frogs or he was going to die trying!

"Grant," Grant had barely even registered that Porter had followed him out of the train compartment. He turned to face his best friend who was giving him an unimpressed look, "You're literally getting worked up over chocolate. Want are you, five? Calm down, your face is turning red and that is not a good color on you."

Grant rolled his eyes, "Whatever Thornton, you just don't get it."

"What don't I get?" Porter asked his hands on his hips. Grant chewed the inside of his cheek and narrowed his eyes at Porter. Well, it wasn't as if Porter was going to judge him in any way over this. First off, Porter was the last person on planet earth than had any right to judge anyone else, and second off, Porter and Grant had been friends for so long Grant doubted anything he said would change that, and definitely not _this_.

Still Grant felt his cheek go even redder as he opened his mouth, "I haven't had wizarding candy before, and you're always on and on about it and stuff, so I wanted my first time trying it to be here, to kinda, ya know, mark my becoming a wizard, alright?"

Grant pouted.

Suddenly Porter snorted, "Dude you are such a _girl_!"

Grant was about to get mad and tell Porter off, but one look at his friend's grinning face had Grant was breaking out into a grin as well, putting Porter in a loose headlock and messing up his neatly styled hair.

"Oh, _shut up_ , Thornton!"

The two laughed, making their way over to the trolley, which was being wheeled by a vacant-looking old woman. The thing looked more than half empty, but Grant prayed to Merlin they still had some chocolate frogs left. Porter was always talking about how good they were and, hey, Grant liked Chocolate.

"Two chocolate frogs please?" Ported asked with a smile.

The trolley witch shook her head, "All out. These two twins just bought the last of them. All the licorice wands too."

Grant's face turned red again. _Twins_. Oh yeah, he knew exactly who she was talking about and today he was finally going to give them a piece of his mind! Stupid Davenports!

Grant had really been looking forward to this too. All summer this had been all him and Porter had talked about. Not just chocolate frogs, but wizard stuff in general. They had been neighbors since they were toddlers but it had only been recently that they started talking about magic.

Porter had always known he was a wizard. His mom was a witch so she had taught him about the wizarding world when he was still little. His dad was a muggle but he was a very open-minded one and thought of magic as just another strange part of life.

Grant, however, hadn't known he was a wizard until he had received his Hogwarts letter in the mail earlier that summer. When he told Porter about it, Grant had swore the kid was going to freak out, or laugh until he died or something over the top like that but instead porter just chuckled and hugged him. Porter hadn't been allowed to share the fact that he was a wizard with his best friend for years. The moment he found out Grant was a wizard too, Porter was determined to share _everything_.

And Grant had been pretty excited to try everything, too. Well, that is, until the Davenports came into the picture. He was so sick of them. Just because they were fancy and rich and had an all magic family they thought they were so cool. Grant hated it. They thought just because they had money they could waltz in and just do whatever they wanted. Ugh!

He still hated them for their encounter on Diagon Alley, in front of Ollivander's shop. Julius and Clarissa had laughed at him and bet him that he wouldn't find a wand because wands only picked real wizards. It was infuriating. But Grant mostly hated them for what had happened when they had first met at that Quidditch game. They had- Er, they had… Well, Grant didn't exactly feel like reliving _that_ experience at the moment...

"Do you know what compartment those twins were in?" Porter asked, still smiling, and Grant grinned. He didn't know what Porter was planning but from past experience, that smile told him it was something good.

"Just down there, dear," the woman said, pointing. Porter and Grant thanked her quickly before walking off again.

* * *

 *** * 12:36 * ***

* * *

Angela leaned over her sister to grab another licorice wand and took a bite.

"Ya know," Angela said, around a mouthful of candy, (not very ladylike but Angela could live with that) "that winged blow horn was pretty cool-" she swallowed, "-but I bet I could better."

"Hmmm," Elesa agreed, with a nod of the head. She had a stack of chocolate frog cards fanned out in her hand as she read them over carefully. "I bet."

Angela hummed in appreciation, looking out the glass door of their compartment as students passed by casually. A pretty girl with blond hair and braces, an older boy with freckles, sandy brown hair and Gryffindor robes on, a boy with green eyes hidden behind square glasses and an undercut…

Wait. Green eyes? Glasses? Undercut? She'd seen that face before. She'd memorized it for this occasion! She didn't think the opportunity would present itself so quickly, but hey, no time like the present. Angela bolted upwards, nearly falling over as she made for the door. Elesa jumped at the sudden movement.

"Angela what's wrong?" Elesa called, "Where are you going?"

But Angela was already opening the compartment door and flying out of their compartment to follow that kid, nearly crashing into a couple second year Ravenclaw girls and two first year boys.

* * *

Porter and Grant exchanged a looked as a girl nearly knocked them over on their way to the compartment the Trolley witch had pointed them towards. The girl seemed to be speed-walking down the corridor for… some reason? Porter shrugged and poked his head into the compartment the girl had just burst out off. The same compartment the Trolley witch had pointed to.

Grant made a disappointed noise in the back of his throat when all he saw when he popped in was a dark-haired girl staring at them blankly, with a stack of Chocolate frog cards in her hand.

"Aw, you aren't Julius Davenport," Grant complained to the girl.

The girl, crinkled her nose at him and frown, "well, I certainly hope not!" She said, flipping her neatly groomed braids over her shoulder. "I like to think I have much better taste…"

Porter grinned and snickered at that, nodding in agreement "True, much better taste. But you are the one who bought all chocolate frogs on the trolley?"

The girl shook her head, her braids swaying, "Nope, not me, you're looking for my sister, Angela, I tried to warn her that much chocolate would kill her, but does she listen? No. Sorry to tell you but I already helped her finish them off. You're welcome to the cards, though, I have a whole set. I even have a Harry Potter one here. They're rare but I already have two."

Grant frowned, "Was that your sister who just left?"

The girl nodded, "I don't know where she's going though."

"I'll be right back," Grant said.

Porter frowned, watching his friend march off in the same direction that girl, Angela, ran off in. Porter offered the girl still in the compartment a smile.

"I'm Porter, by the way," Porter said finally, "Porter Thornton, and that was my friend, Grant Anderson, he's in a hurry… And also very passionate about frogs. We're first years."

"Elesa Sterling-Parkinson," The girl smiled, "My sister and I are first years too."

"I should probably follow him… Make sure he doesn't kill himself or anything, " Porter said, finally. "See ya later, Elesa."

And with that, Porter disappeared out of the compartment.

Elesa turned back to her chocolate frog cards.

"But seriously, if you don't want that Harry Potter card, I have been looking for that everywhere," Porter called, poking his head back into the compartment, startling Elesa.

Elesa smiled and handed him the card.

* * *

 *** * 12:43 * ***

* * *

Angela had seen him. James Sirius Potter. Right. Time to introduce herself, then introduce him to her sister, and then her sister could meet Ginny Potter, and Elesa would have, like, completed her life's goal. Perfect. She could almost see that look of complete and utter joy on her sister's face. She just needed to find that Potter boy.

Angela tapped her foot impatiently. Where did he go? He was right in front of her five seconds ago. How could he have just disappeared? Angela turned in a full circle.

Glasses, undercut… Glasses, undercut… Glasses, undercut…

Damn, why was this so hard. Angela took to gazed into compartments in search of the boy as she went when- Ah-ha! There he was! Just a couple metres in front of her. She had to stop herself from bolting over.

"Hey you!" Grant grabbed this Angela girl's wrist, frowning. He didn't care if she was a Davenport or not, buying out the Trolley was rude. There were other people on the Trolley, too! It was selfish and Grant was getting ready to tell her exactly that when he realized he had made a terrible mistake.

It took less than a second for Angela to grab her attacker by the arm and back of the shirt and flip him over her shoulder. Just like she had learned in her self-defense class. Angela had just acted. She didn't even think about it until she heard the thud of a body hitting the floor of the train.

Angela pursed her lips staring down at the boy on the floor in front of her. How curious. He seemed to be a first year like her, a Hispanic boy with long black hair and dark eyes. He was looking up at her in shock. Angela supposed that was normal. She'd be pretty shocked if someone had taken her arse down to the train, too. The boy's entire face flushed red when the sound of laughter sounded behind them.

Grant sent Porter a glare, scrambling to sit up as the Indian boy nearly doubled over with laughter, holding his sides.

"You-" Porter wheezed out, "you got judo-flipped by a girl!" then he was down. He actually doubled over laughing, Grant growled. Porter might be his best friend but he really was a git sometimes. "You should- You should see your face, oh my god!"

Angela straightened up, placing her hands on her hips indigently, "Why does it matter that I'm a girl? What? Girls can't be strong? Girls can't Judo-flip people? It's literally 2016 people!"

This only made Porter laugh harder.

At this point several kids were poking their head out of their compartments to watch. A few even gather around in a circle around the first years, snickering and whispering among one another. Angela spotted the two redhead teens from earlier among the crowd, as well as Silas Zabini, Irene Dillinger, and the Davenports, who were laughing mercilessly at the boy on the floor.

Grant felt his cheeks turn even redder as the Davenports made their way onto the scene, taking one look at him and howling with laughter, clutching onto one another to stay upright.

Julius Davenport, a tall dark haired boy, was near in tears as he clung to his sister, "Ha! I didn't think anything could top my first day at Hogwarts, but this? Oh, Merlin this is too good!"

"Now, now, Julius, we shouldn't tease, but I am curious. Tell me, Grant," Clarissa Davenport, a shorter pointy-faced girl, hummed, "Is this your first time getting beat up by a girl or is this a pastime of yours?"

The hall erupted with laughter at that and Grant glared at Porter, looking for backup, but the other boy was still catching his breath from his own laughing fit. _Great_ , Grant huffed, _Some best friend..._

"Shut up!" Grant growled, quickly trying to defend himself "I didn't get beat up! She surprised me that's all. I could take her!"

Angela raised an eyebrow unimpressed, "Seriously?"

"Yeah seriously," Grant shot to his feet, "What's wrong with you anyway!? You don't just go around judo-flipping people!"

"Hey!" Angela frowned, "You grabbed me out of nowhere, how do you expect people to react to that! You're lucky that's all you got!"

"Oh Merlin," Julius straightened up, "I wish! I think I'd pay to see that. I mean, I didn't think Angela was capable of doing something useful but beating Anderson's arse? Angela, I think we figured out the one thing you're actually good for!"

Angela growled and fitted the Davenports with a glare. She pulled her wand out of her Pocket and held it tightly at her side. It was around 11 ⅔ inches long and made of holly with wampus hair for a core. She had purchased it a week earlier at Ollivander's with Elesa, but it was technically a Blackbourne wand, having been made by Ollivander's business partner and not the master wand-maker himself. Not that Angela minded. Everyone knew of the amazing new wands Blackbourne had been churning out for the last few years. Elesa had a Blackbourne wand, as well.

Angela had no idea why she had taken out the wand, because she only really knew one spell, and simply charged her phone, so that wasn't going to help her in this situation, but she figured point-n-shoot was a pretty got tactic. If anything she could always just drop the wand and judo-flip Julius Davenport too.

"You wanna be the next one on the floor, Davenport?" Angela raised her wand with as much confidence as she could fake, which was quite a bit, and hissed, "Keep talking…"

Luckily, Julius did himself a favor and shut up.

Grant grinned, seeing that smug look wiped off Julius Davenport's face, but a moment later Porter was tugging on his shoulder. Grant frowned and turned to him.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Porter hissed.

"What? No, I wanna see Julius get his arse handed to him," Grant shrugged his best friend off, but immediately Porter was tugging at him again, "What?"

"Oh yeah, you wanna see her knock the Davenports on his arse," Ported hissed back, "but you remember 'What's wrong with you anyway!?'-" Porter imitated in a whiny voice, "-don't you? Who do you think that wand's gonna turn on once she's done with those two. She's crazy!"

Grant gulped, "Let's get out of here."

The two were gone by time Elesa had made it to the scene.

"Ang!" Elesa hissed, rushing over to her sister. _not again…_ she huffed. She took Angela's arm and tugged, glaring from the Davenports to her sister. "Come on Angela, everyone's staring, let's go…" Elesa's voice was tight as she tugged at her sister's arm once more.

Angela forced herself to take a deep breath and sigh, sending the two twins another glare prompting them to sod off, a suggestion they luckily took heed of and slinked off.

Angela lowered her wand and slipped it back into her pocket.

The rest of the crowd dispersed, realizing the fun was over and left the two Sterling-Parkinson sisters standing alone in the corridor. Both breathed a sigh of relief, deciding to return to their compartment.

Angela stopped for a moment and glanced around in search of that boy she had attacked earlier, only to realize he had vanished… Angela shrugged. She supposed she could apologize or something later. They were going to the same school after all.

As soon as the compartment door clicked shut Angela remembered just what she had exited the compartment to do. Hurriedly she checked the hallway for any signs of the boy, Ginny Potter's son, but she came up empty.

 _Damn!_ She'd lost him. James was gone.

Angela bit her lip and shook her head. It was okay. She'd get another chance to catch the Potter boy. She had all year to make good on her promise to Elesa and see to it she met Ginny Potter. She'd simply have to catch him next time. And there would be a next time. She was spending the next several month at the same school as him.

 _Hogwarts..._


	2. September, 1st, 2016 (part 2)

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Wow guys, I'm super sorry this took so frickin' long, but in my defense my life has been _so_ hectic recently and this was originally waaaay longer than it is now. Like, 11,000+ words long, so I ended up deciding that it would make a lot more sense if I split it up into two parts, so you could get this part now, and you'll get chapter three really soon because it's already more than half written. Like, I have two more scenes to write and then I need to edit it and that's it. So you guys can expect to see that up soon and I'm super happy because this way I'm hoping it comes out the way I envisioned it happening. Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter two of this story. I got a lot of positive feedback on chapter one, so I put a lot of effort into this and I hope you guys like it. Thanks for the support and review if you like it or if you have _constructive_ criticism.

With love, Maisie

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO: SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2016**

* * *

 *** * 5:30 * ***

* * *

The school fell silent as the first years lined up in front of the four house tables in the Great Hall. _This_ was the Sorting Ceremony. This was what half of the first years had been looking forward to all day, and what the other half had been dreading.

Eleven-year-old first year, Felix Finnigan was one of the ladder. Or… or was is it the former? He wasn't really sure, he always got those two confused… Either way, the point was that he was part of the group that was scared shitless right now.

Felix took a deep breath. _Honestly, what do you think the hat's gonna do? Set itself on fire on top of your head_? He silently berated himself, _It's fine. Everything is fine You are going to be fine_. Somehow, Felix was having trouble believing that, though.

Felix knew that, whatever house he was put into, it would be (as he had said before) fine, but still, he really hoped he'd be put in the same house as his dad.

Felix's dad had been put into Gryffindor, and so had his grandmother before him. Felix knew his dad wouldn't _mind_ if he ended up somewhere else, but he also knew that he'd be super proud of him if he was put into Gryffindor. Felix supposed it wouldn't be too bad if he got sorted into Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, but the thought still left him feeling disappointed.

Felix seriously doubted he'd end up in Slytherin though.

Not that Felix had anything against the house, unlike a lot of his classmates did, but Felix didn't exactly see himself as very "shrewd" or "cunning" or "ambitious." His sister, Teagan sure didn't, according to what she'd said to him that morning on the platform… But that was neither here nor there.

Perhaps if he was just a little more shrewd he'd be able to make some friends...

Felix's hands started to sweat as the silence hung in the air, heavy and awkward, for what seemed like an eternity. He wanted to hiss at the Headmistress to get on with it already but, of course, he didn't. Headmistress McGonagall would have probably given him detention for the rest of his life if he did.

Instead, Felix took a long look around him, suddenly very aware of how alone he was as he watched a group of boys a couple feet away from him, who were whispering to one another and laughing.

Felix didn't-... Well, he didn't exactly have a lot of friends here. That is to say, he didn't really have… _any_ friends here. Not y _et_ anyway.

His dad always assured Felix that he'd make friends as soon as he was sorted into his house, but Felix had been hoping he'd meet someone on the train. Someone he could be talking to right now to take his mind off how freakin' nervous he was.

Of course, Felix _had_ friends. It's not as if he'd just been holed up in his room for the last eleven years eating saltines or anything. He simply didn't have any friends _at Hogwarts_ _._

One of Felix's closest friends was his sister, Teagan, which was weird because no one nowadays is friends with their sister, but Felix was. Sure, Teagan and him fought, like all siblings did, but as far as sisters went, Teagan was rather enjoyable to be around. She never got into his stuff and left him alone when he wanted to be alone and they were both into most things, like Quidditch and wizard's chess. It was pretty cool but Teagan was a year younger, so she wouldn't be going to Hogwarts until this time next year.

Felix had other friends too, though. There was Langley Cook, who was cool, but he was more of his mom's friend's kid than _his_ friend and he was a muggle so he obvious wasn't going to Hogwarts either. Then there was Lydia Thomas and she was a witch, but she was more Teagan's friend than his and she was year younger anyway.

Felix wished he had someone to whisper and snicker with while he waited for the sorting ceremony to begin, like the other boys in his year did. Someone cool and exciting who he could laugh with. Someone who he'd never feel bored with. Someone who made really funny jokes and smiled like a Cheshire cat. Someone whose dark eyes that twinkled when they were thinking. Someone with bushy black curls and an air of confidence about them and who sounded like twinkling lights when they talked...

 _Yup_ , Felix thought, _that is_ totally _a hypothetical person you just described. Definitely_ not _someone you just met on the boat ride over._

Okay, Felix might have had someone in mind, but he was a bit concerned that he couldn't find her in the line-up of first years right now. He was sure she had been a first year. She had told him so herself and only first years rode to the castle in boats anyway so she had to be one. So why wasn't she here? Felix almost thought he'd just made her up or something, but Felix was certain he didn't possess _half_ the imagination required to make up someone like _that_.

Felix's mind flicked back to the events of that afternoon.

* * *

 *** * 10:50 * ***

* * *

Felix had been excited for the ride over to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. He thought it would be tons of fun based on what his dad had told him, after all his dad had met his best friend on the train ride over, so surely something similar could happen to Felix on his train ride, right?

Er, not exactly…

Felix had been really excited for his first day of school and had managed to herd his family out the door pretty early that morning, so when they arrived on the platform the crowd had only begun to form around the bright red and black train in front of them.

Of course, it hadn't been the first time Felix had seen the platform before. He had a couple of older cousins that he'd seen off to school a couple of times before but they had all long since graduated. It had been a couple years since he'd been to the platform, but the memory of this place was so deeply ingrained in Felix's mind not even his father could make him forget it. That was the family joke, anyhow, because his father was a Ministry employed Obliviator.

This year when they arrived on the platform, however, there was a new magic to it. This time it was Felix's turn to get on the train. He wouldn't be going back through that barrier to king's cross station until holiday break that winter. That meant these next few months would be spent at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Felix's sister and mother seemed just as in awe of the platform as Felix was, his mother especially, since she was a muggle and had never visited the platform before.

"Oh, darling, look!" She said, giddily, tugging at her husband's sleeve, her blue eyes wide with excitement, "They're wearing little pointed hats! Just like in the cartoons! You didn't tell me they did that! Now I want one..."

"Margaret, dear, calm down, you're gonna scare the poor kids," Felix's father laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. Felix would have laughed at the exchange as well, since he was used to his mother's fascination with wizards and her childlike wonderment when it came to their way of life, but Felix was too busy being dragged off by his little sister to worry about his parents at the moment.

Felix's sister, Teagan, had a determined look in her eyes as she turned to her brother and gave him a grin, speaking in a soft voice, "You wanna know what I heard from Lydia the other day?"

Felix narrowed his eyes, "When you say it in the creepy tone of voice I'm not sure I do…"

"Oh, shut up," Teagan smacked him in the arm and rolled her eyes, "do you wanna know or not?"

Felix thought it over for a moment before nodding.

"Okay, so Lydia texted me the other day and told me that she heard that Harry Potter's godson was going to be student teacher at Hogwarts this year."

Felix made a face in surprise, "Teddy Lupin? I don't believe you, you're making it up," he accused.

"Nuh-huh! I'm not! I'm telling the truth!" Teagan insisted, "Lydia said he wants to be a Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher but needs experience or to, like, work for awhile in order to be cleared with the ministry or something! It's true! I heard it from Lydia!"

"Why is it true just because Lydia said it?" Felix argued.

"Because Lydia heard it from Alice!" Teagan huffed in frustration, clearly not appreciating the fact that her brother was not getting this, but honestly, this made not sense to Felix.

Felix flung his hands in the air in frustration, "Why is it true just because _Alice_ said it?!"

Teagan facepalmed as if this should have been obvious, " _Because_ , you dolt, Alice's dad is a teacher at Hogwarts! Honestly, you are terrible at gossip, just dreadful!"

"I'm _so_ sorry," Felix grumbled, sarcastically. "Okay, let's say this rumor that Alice and Lydia started is true. I didn't even think Hogwarts did stuff like that. Like, student teaching I mean."

"Not 'til recently," Teagan said, "I said that too but Alice said something about a bill being passed by the Minister Granger-Weasley that has to do with education."

That was true enough, Felix knew. Felix liked to read the Prophet with his dad in the mornings and he _did_ remember reading something about Minister Granger-Weasley passing a new bill like that the other day. Something about stricter qualifications for new teachers. He hadn't read too much of the article but he did remember Minister Granger-Weasley being quoted as saying "We just hope to avoid anymore Quirrell or Barty Crouch jr. or Lockhart or, Merlin forbid, _Umbridge_ incidents." Introducing a new student teacher program into Hogwarts could very well have been part of that deal. He knew the Minister was friends with the Hogwarts Headmistress.

"Anyway, who cares!" Teagan continued, interrupting Felix's train of thought, "That's not the important part! The important part is, you're gonna have Teddy, Harry Potter's godson, as a student teacher."

"So? It's just Teddy," Felix blinked at his sister, confused. "Why do you keep saying it like it's a big deal or something? We've met Teddy before. We've met Harry before. He was at your birthday party just last month! He's dad's friend."

"That's besides the point!" Teagan waved her hand dismissively, "So what if it's _just Teddy_ to you? To everyone else that's _Harry Potter's godson_ and you're friends with him! If people found that out, everyone at school would wanna be your friend! Do you have any idea how popular you'd be?"

Felix rolled his eyes, "Teagan, I don't want anyone to be my friend just because I'm friends with Harry Potter's godson. I don't want anyone to be my friend because Harry Potter's a family friend. I just want people to be friends with me for normal friendly-friend reasons!" He waved his hands about him dramatically to emphasize the point, "Why do you always doubt that I can do that?"

Teagan pursed her lips, "I never said that."

"You thought it though," Felix accused.

Teagan shrugged, "You're not exactly charismatic, Felix."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Felix frowned.

"You're boring."

"Hey!"

"You wanted the truth," Teagan huffed placing her hands on her hips, "And the truth is, you are not a people person! I mean, That's not a bad thing, you're good at lots of other things, like reading and writing and you can be cool… ish… sometimes, but I mean, come on Felix, you bore people! You're too straight-laced! You said you wanted to make friends this year and I'm a people person! I'm trying to help you. So take my advice and either loosen up a little or do what I told you to and talk about Harry more."

"You're confidence in me is overwhelming." Felix said.

"Just try not to be stick in the mud, wouldja?" Teagan sighed, flicking her brother in the forehead. "Try having some fun for once and maybe that will save you from your dork-itis."

Teagan and Felix both jumped when the hands of their father clamped down on their shoulders. Felix's heart stopped for a half a second before he let out a breath of relief, realizing it was his father who'd grabbed him and who was now smiling down at the two siblings.

"Come on, you two," He smiled, "Best not stand around here too long, the crowd will start floodin' in any moment now and I found out my first year that it's best to just avoid it."

Felix's father gave a good-hearted laugh as he ushered his daughter and son towards the front of the platform. Felix tried to listen as his father told him all his usual stories about his first year, but all Felix could do was listen to his sister's words set on repeat in his head.

 _You're boring. You're too straight-laced. You're not a people person. So take my advice and either loosen up a little or do what I told you to and talk about Harry more._

* * *

 *** * 12:30 * ***

* * *

By the time twelve-thirty rolled around Felix was praying to Merlin and Morgana and God and whatever other forces were out there that he would make friends at Hogwarts this school year just so that he would never, ever, ever have to sit with the _these kids_ ever again for anything.

It was about twenty minutes after Felix had said goodbye to his parents and sister and gotten on the train when his compartment door was being flung open by a couple of kids, a boy and a girl, who looked to be about his own age, looking at him as if he were a particularly wordy and boring textbook. From what he could see, they were twins, or at least siblings, both with black hair and pale blue eyes. The girl's hair was short and silky and was held back of her face with a shiny black headband, while the boy's hair was thick and short and framed his face in wispy curls. It was the boy who spoke first.

"Excuse us," He drawled, "But it seems everywhere else is full, you don't mind if we and some friends share this compartment with you, do you?"

Felix could catch the slight undertone of a French accent in the boy's voice which made him slightly self conscious about his own subtle Irish one. It didn't sound nearly as refined as this kid's did and it sounded somewhat funny mixed half-and-half with the English one he'd gotten from his mother.

"Uh, sure," He said after a moment, swallowing thickly to get rid of the lump in his throat.

And with that the twins smiled and slid into the seat across with him, followed shortly by a taller dark-skinned boy and a ginger-haired girl wearing bright red lipstick and far too much eye makeup.

The boy with the french accent fixed Felix with a lazy look, his eyes traveling over him slowly, again giving Felix the feeling of being some kind of book to this kid. The boy was silent for a long time before he finally looked Felix in the eyes and began to speak.

"I'm Julius Davenport by the way," He said, offering Felix a hand, which he took hesitantly, "This is my sister, Clarissa. You may have heard our last name before. It's the name of our father's company. Our father does security work. He owns the largest private auror service in all of the Europe."

"Um, right," Felix blinked, confused, "What exactly does that... mean?"

"Oh," Julius said, a smug grin on his face, "Nothing really, our family just employees hundreds of the world's most highly trained aurors to do security work for some of the most well-know organizations all over the world. It's kind of like a private, um, what do the muggles call them again?"

"Private police force," Clarissa supplied, easily.

"Yes that," Julius agreed.

"Oh," Felix questioned, although it came out as more of a squeak, "Well, that's, um, interesting…" He said, although the adjective he had been thinking of was terrifying.

"Yes, isn't it?" Julius waved his hand slightly, "Anyhow, next to you there, that's Silas Zabini.-" Felix began to offer the dark-skinned boy next to him his hand to shake as well but as interrupted by Julius again, "-He doesn't really do people, don't bother." Julius then gestured to the ginger-haired girl two seats away from him and continued, "And the redhead there is Irene Dillinger."

This time the redheaded girl allowed him to shake her hand, although it was at an awkward angle with Silas Zabini sitting in between them.

"Anyway," Clarissa Davenport said. The girl had long eyelashes and angled features and had an admittedly pretty face, but she didn't really smile, which Felix personally thought took away from her beauty. Felix always thought people were way prettier when they smiled. At least that was what his mother had always told him and he was inclined to agree. "You are?" She asked after a slight pause.

Felix couldn't help but notice the slight sneer in her voice as she asked the question. As if she already knew who he was and thought it was hilarious that he actually allowed himself to be seen in public. Felix pushed the thought away and tried to form an answered to the girl's question.

"I'm Felix" he managed, pausing a moment before adding- "Finnigan" -as an afterthought, "Felix Finnigan. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Clarissa Davenport drawled in a tone that made Felix doubt the honesty behind that statement. It took Clarissa about half a second to shift her attention from Felix to Irene Dillinger, as if Felix was a toy she had suddenly become bored with. A smirk suddenly grew on her face as her attention shifted onto someone shiny and new, (although this smile wasn't the kind that would make her seem prettier) "Oh my gods, Irene, did you _see_ Angela Sterling-Parkinson on the platform this morning? The way she was driving that trolley through the crowd? Ha, I think she confused the platform for a rodeo. Bloody ridiculous that girl!"

"Did I see her _trolley_?" Irene scoffed, "Oh, honey, I was a little distracted by _her hair!_ If it gets any bigger there won't be room for all of it in the school! She has no class or style, honestly! You'd never know she and Elesa were sisters the way she acts. At least Elesa has _some_ sense."

"Please," Julius scoffed, "have you heard Elesa rant about her precious _Ginny Potter-_ " he said the name is a high-pitched voice and pretended to swoon "-if you call that sense, I don't know what this world is coming to. Besides Elesa only ever hangs out with Angela and I don't think you can call anyone who chooses to associate themselves with the like of _that_ 'sensible.'"

"Too true," Irene agreed.

"Okay, but do you wanna know what I saw?" Julius suddenly looked excited, as if he had just remembered something.

"No, what?" Irene asked, looking curious.

"Angela Sterling-Parkinson talking to Hermione Granger-Weasley!" Julius laughed as if this was a great joke, although Felix really didn't get it. The laugh wasn't warm though, it was pretty clear he was laughing at this Angela girl, whoever she was, and Felix didn't like it. "The poor woman looked horrified! Probably couldn't believe someone so outrageous existed, let alone had the nerve to talk to her. Whatever, the girl is such a muggle-sympathizer, she probably thought she was 'showing her support' or whatever garbage she's always going on about. Gods, I would die of embarrassment."

"Who's Angela?" Felix surprised even himself with the question. He had just let it slip out without meaning to and it caused the other three kids to jump as if they'd forgotten he was there. Clarissa was the first to recover, though.

"Listen, Franklin-" She started.

"Felix" He corrected. Felix was not about to put up with this whole 'girl gives so little shits about a him she always gets his name wrong' cliche bullshit. Felix might not be confrontational but he wasn't about to let his life turn into some shitty fanfiction.

"Right," Clarissa waved him off like his name was simply a minor detail, "I'm going to give you some advice and if you care even a little bit about your social life, you'll take it: When we get to Hogwarts, somewhere along the line you're gonna meet a girl with dark skin and brown eyes and curly brown hair out to here-" she spread her arms out on either side of her head to demonstrate "-and she'll have this wild look in her eyes and this kinda unnerving, evil smile. That's Angela Sterling-Parkinson. Do yourself a favor. Stay away from her. She's a nightmare."

Felix was starting to think this girl, whoever she was, must be brilliant if these kids didn't like her. However, Felix kept that to himself and simply nodded stiffly. Clarissa, Julius and Irene looked satisfied with this and went back to their gossip. Felix's ears burned with annoyance as he listened.

A good while later, Felix wasn't sure how long, Felix was thanking sweet Merlin when the Davenports and their friends left Felix alone in the compartment to check out the commotion a couple compartments down.

Felix was grateful to finally have a moment to breath easy without feeling judgemental sneers sent his way every once in awhile. It seemed that the more the Davenports and their friends spoke, the more he disliked them. By the time they'd left, Felix was hoping against hope that something terrible would happen and that the group would fall off the train.

Felix was disappointed, however, when his short intermission was finally over and the Davenport's group shuffled back into their seats. Luckily, though, Felix was pleased to find that the group had fallen rather silent since they returned to the compartment and looked quite disgruntled…

Felix had no idea what happened out in the corridor to convince these guys to shut up, but Felix swore that if he found the person responsible, he'd kiss them.

* * *

 *** * 5:00 * ***

* * *

By the time Felix got off the train at Hogsmeade, he was half-asleep and his body was cramped up from hours of being packed inside a claustrophobic train compartment. Felix tried to rub the sleep from his eyes as he followed the traffic of kids getting off of the train.

Felix wanted to sleep. He would have taken a nap on the train, but he didn't trust the Davenports enough to go to sleep anywhere near them. Not that he got the feeling they were the type of kids to draw on his face or anything. Although, he had to admit he'd gotten some shifty looks from Silas Zabini…

In any case, the bottom line was that Felix really needed a nap or at least a way to wake up. He still had to get across the Black Lake to Hogwarts, after all, and then there was the Sorting Ceremony to worry about and a feast to get through, and-

 _Wait_ , Felix stopped himself and backtracked a bit. _Oh gods, the Sorting Ceremony!_ He gulped.

Welp, that got Felix to wake up.

The sorting. Gods, the sorting! That was, like, _now_! Felix thought he'd have all-day to worry about that! However, Felix hadn't realized that when he'd spent the entire train-ride praying for it to be over so that he could get away from the Davenports, he had also been praying for the Sorting Ceremony to come quicker.

The sudden realization that he was going to be sorted in a few short minutes hit Felix like a ton of bricks. He didn't even realized that he had stopped short in the middle of the doorway leading out of the train. He was only vaguely aware of the angry noises of the students behind him, including the shout of a girl yelling, "Angie! Slow down your gonna knock someone-"

Oh, Merlin's saggy ba-

"Ack!" Felix gave a strangled cry as he ground with a dull thud. In half a second or less he could feel the weight of a body landing gracelessly on top of him.

"-Over…" Felix heard the voice of a girl sounding tired above them. He could practically see her shaking her head at the person who had knocked him over.

"Frick!" Felix could hear the voice of another girl, the one on top of him, grumbling in pain and annoyance, "Ow! Damn, third time today… Wow, I'm so friggin' _graceful_ today…" she said sarcastically.

"Ang, try _just_ three times," the first girl laughed, "face it, this is one of your better days. Usually you've made it to your fifth or sixth time on your butt by now. Anyway get off that poor boy before you suffocate him."

"What booo- Oh shit! Bro, I'm so sorry. Damn, I totally didn't see you there, but in my defense you're really short and you were standing in the middle of the doorway."

Felix had to admit, the girl had a fair point. He had been so shocked in remembering the sorting, that he'd stopped right in the middle of the doorway. Plus she was right. He was kinda short, although that self-awareness did little to lessen the blush that spread across his cheeks at the comment. Felix turned to face the girl just in time to see the legs of a dark skinned girl as she picked herself up off the ground. His eyes started to rise to her face but were forced back down to stare at the hand that was suddenly shoved in his face.

"You alright or did I give you brain damage or something?" The comment could have been a scathing remark, but girl's tone was so playful that Felix could tell that wasn't the case. He could practically see the mirthful smile playing on her lips even before his eyes looked up to meet her own. As soon as he saw the amusement playing in her dark brown eyes, Felix was scrambling to take the girl's hand and pick himself up off the ground, his cheeks red as he realized how long he had just been sitting there, staring.

The girl laughed, a funny, light-hearted laugh that sounded like twinkling lights, if that made any sense, but it made Felix wanna hear more.

The girl in front of Felix had dark skin and brown eyes, and big bushy brown hair, out to here (Felix would have demonstrated if this wasn't a piece of writing, but alas, it is, so let's just say it was big.) She had a smile on her lips that was teetering somewhere in between playful and mischievous, but either way, it made her eyes light up. Without further ado, she shoved a hand towards Felix, her body rocking it's weight from the balls of her feet to her heels, as she waited for Felix to take it.

"Sorry I ran you over," She apologized again, "My name's Angela Sterling-Parkinson. I'm a first year here, you are too, right?"

Angela sterling-Parkinson… Felix remembered that name. This was the girl the Davenports and their friends were talking about on the train. The girl the Davenports had warned him to stay away from if he cared about his social life. With all The Davenports had said about this girl, Felix knew exactly how they felt about her, and so, his next move was an easy one.

Felix grabbed Angela's hand firmly in his own, "Hello Angela Sterling-Parkinson, my name's Felix Finnigan and I would very much like to be your friend."

Angela blinked a couple times, a little shocked by Felix's sudden desire to be her friend, but after a moment she shrugged and gave him a carefree grin, "Okay!" She said.

" _Eh-hem_ " From behind Angela came the sound of a throat being cleared in an attempt to get their attention. Felix and Angela both jumped slightly at the sound, before turning to stare at a girl, about their age, with the same dark eyes and hair as Angela.

However, this girl was different. Her hair had been twisted into countless tiny braids, which had then been twisted into a single thick braid that draped over her shoulder gracefully. Her mouth was drawn into a thin line as she made eye-contact with Angela, and they seemed to have a silent conversation before the girl's eyes moved to rest of Felix. Her eyes flicked intelligently as they zeroed in on him.

Felix might as well have been naked under that gaze and he wondered briefly if this girl might be a Legilimen or something because he felt as though she were reading his thoughts with the gaze. He felt the girl study him like he was some suspicious text that she was decrypting, or like a protective twin sister who was hardcore judging the scrawny white boy who just randomly offered to be her sister's friend for seemingly no reason.

That was a metaphor, right?

"Ah," Angela piped up, seeming not to have noticed the other girl's intense stare, "Felix, right? This is Elesa, my twin sister. Don't worry, she's totally chill. We're kinda a package deal though, so you have to be her friend too, 'kay?"

Felix smiled the best he could and stuck his hand out to Elesa, as well. Whatever it was Elesa had been trying to determine with that intense stare of hers, Felix must have passed as suitable, because her gaze softened after a moment and she offered him an elegant smile, that was so different than her sister's mischievous one.

She shook his hand.

Felix smiled in return and carefully shook back, not wanting to give the girl a reason to bring back that intense gaze.

"It's a pleasure," she said, her voice sounding less like twinkling lights than her sister's and more like what Felix imagined summer might sound like, which made even less sense, but Felix seemed to be in a poetic mood.

"Um, same," Felix responded, dumbly. The girl pulled her hand away and thankfully didn't comment on his unintelligent reply. Not that she really had time to anyway because a moment later a booming voice could be heard over the crowd, catching the attention of near everyone on the platform.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Right this way! Firs' years!" A lantern bobbed over the heads of all the students, being carried by a big hairy-faced man, twice as large as any man Felix had ever seen in his life. He couldn't help but gape at the man in shock. He imagined this must be Professor Hagrid. He'd been warned by his father about the man's size but he still found it hard to believe.

"Woah!" Angela's mouth fell open in an O shape, "Who's that?"

"Professor Hagrid," Felix explained, still gawking at the man himself, "My dad said he's half-giant, that's why he's so… _big._ He's, um… he's the Care of Magical Creatures professor. Been teaching since my dad's third year. My dad says he's brilliant."

"Firs' years! This way to the boats," Hagrid called again over the crowd, a group of student their age beginning to form a huddle around him.

"Oh! Come on, Elesa! I wanna get good seats on the boat!" Angela said, hurriedly, while Felix stood gaping still. Angela grinned, seeming to forget Felix completely, and grabbed her sister's arm, dragging her off towards the boats.

"Angela, It's four to a boat! They're literally all good seats!" Elesa argued, but let herself be dragged along anyway.

Felix snapped out of his gawking when he realized he was once again standing there alone on the platform. He blinked a couple times, confused, not having noticed the girls leave.

Felix sighed. Well, that was that then. Maybe his sister was right. He was uncharismatic and boring. No wonder those two girls had forgotten about him so easily.

He was forgettable.

For a brief moment, Felix thought about giving up and merely accepting the fact he simply wasn't going to have any friends this year at all, but then, Felix thought of Angela and Elesa, the two girls he'd known for only a few minutes.

Felix couldn't explain it but there was something he liked about them. Especially Angela. There was something about her that made him feel excited and full of energy. He thought that maybe it was her smile or that look in her eyes, but whatever it was, it made him feel adventurous. Angela was cool and calm and didn't care. She was _chill_. Felix liked that.

Felix was so used to girls like Teagan and Lydia. Squealing fangirls who gushed over guys and fretted over their hair. Angela wasn't like that. She was like a different subspecies of girl or something. Like a super-girl. Felix wouldn't ever give up trying to make friends this year if it meant not being friends with her.

So with that Felix made up his mind and raced off towards the boats.

* * *

 *** * 5:06 * ***

* * *

Elesa was glad that her sister was excited, she really was, but she sure wished that it would involve less tugging... But hey, sisters, what're ya gonna do? Besides, Elesa hated the thought of ruining her sister's good mood by complaining. It had been awhile since Angela had been hyped about something and Elesa didn't want to spoil the look of joy on her face.

Angela hopped into one of the boats docked at the edge of the black lake and settled in, grinning at her sister as they waited patiently for the other students to settle into their boats as well.

There was a calming moment of silence as Elesa turned her gaze up to the stars. They shone so brightly here, Elesa could hardly believe it. It was nothing like their family home in London. Here, they were so far away from the city, that every star could be seen shining down on them like tiny, far-off candles flickering against the night sky.

After a couple of calm, peaceful moments, a couple of boys clambered into their boat, as well, causing Elesa to reach out a hand and steady her accident-prone sister to keep her from falling into the Black Lake. Angela giggled and Elesa rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway.

One of the boys who joined them on their boat was the boy Elesa and her sister had introduced themselves earlier. That Felix kid. The other had messy, sandy brown hair and soft, handsome features. He looked like a kid you might see modeling boys fashion or something. He smiled shyly and gave the girls a small wave and Elesa couldn't help but blush a little, although she doubted anyone could tell in the dim lights. If the boy noticed, he didn't say anything. The boy instead turned to watch the calm waters beneath them, hands nervously stroking the lumpy, grayish-green skin of a toad in his lap.

"Is that a toad?" Angela asked, seeming to notice the animal at the same moment as Elesa. Elesa smirked and rolled her eyes, giggling in an attempt not to playfully respond, ' _Well yeah Angie, what else would it be? A feather duster?'_ But that wouldn't have been a very ladylike first impression to make on the boy with the toad, so Elesa kept quiet.

"Oh! Um, yeah," the boy smiled, holding the toad up. The creature stared into space dumbly and gave a low croak, which made Angela giggle. Both the boy and Felix's faces lit up happily at the sound of Angela's laugh, and Elesa couldn't help but smile, as well. Angela always had that effect on people. The handsome boy returned the toad to his lap and continued, a little less shyly this time, "He was my big sister's last year, but she got an owl over the summer so I got this guy. His name is Prince Trevor Boggington the Third. Sister named him. Originally he was just Trevor the Third but my sister said that was boring. Mostly I just call him Trevor."

"I like your sister's style," Angela grinned, "Angela Sterling-Parkinson, by the way.-" she stuck out a hand, "-And this is my sister, Elesa."

"Nice to meet'cha, Angela, Elesa" he gave Angela a smile before flashing Elesa an equally dashing one and took Angela's hand, "I'm Frank. Frank Longbottom. Well, technically, I'm Frank Longbottom the Second."

"Technically, I'm Angela Sterling-Parkinson the Fifth," Angela said.

"Really?" Frank beamed.

"No."

Elesa gave her sister a small nudge of disapproval for teasing the boy but Angela laughed and ignored her. Elesa supposed it was alright because a moment later Frank gave a small chuckle, as well.

"Everyone in?" Hagrid stood in a boat all his own, just one away from Angela and Elesa's own boat. He shouted over the crowd of first years, his gaze flickering about to ensure that all the first years had made it into a boat, "Right, good, that's everyone," he doubled checked once more before sucking in a large breath and bellowing, "FORWARD!"

Angela had to grab Elesa's arm to steady herself once more as the fleet lurched forward, gliding across the smooth surface of the lake. Angela's eyes were on the castle up ahead of them, glittering with candlelight and warmth. Angela hadn't even stepped inside yet and she was already thinking, _home._

Angela could have stared at the spot a long while except something else caught her eyes. Just beyond the treeline along the edge of the lake, there were carriages, loads of them, making their way across the path towards the castle, seemingly pulled by nothing at all. Angela pursed her lips.

Elesa gave a sharp squeak as Angela leaned over the edge of the boat, tipping it, almost to the point of capsizing, as she reached over to wrap a fist around the giant man, Hagrid's, large brown coat, and gave it a firm tug to get his attention.

Angela's boat companions all gave a sigh of relief when it worked, the large man turning to look at her, giving Angela a reason to sit back down and stop tipping the boat.

"Excuse me, Professor Hagrid," Angela said, "but who're they?"

Angela pointed across the lake to the group of carriages, just past the treeline. Hagrid followed her finger and squinted for a moment, before turning to answer, "those are the secon' through seventh years, over there. They're ridin' to the castle, same as you."

Angela nodded slowly, before looking at him curiously once more, "But, Professor, why don't they take boats, as well?"

Hagrid smiled fondly at Angela's curiosity, "'cause yer gonna be needin' to enter the castle from another entrance fer yer sortin'." He explain, his thick Scottish accent was pleasant to Angela's ears and the burly tenderness of his tone made her insides bubble with contentment.

"So everyone who's not here in these boats is in a carriage?" Angela asked, just to be sure.

"Yup, everyone who ain't 'ere, is there." Hagrid nodded and Angela gave a small hum of acknowledgement in reply.

After that there was silence as the boats drew closer to the castle. No one seemed to make a noise for the rest of the ride as they stared up at the great castle overhead. Only the occasional whisper echoed across the lake, making the first years wary in the darkness.

* * *

 *** * 5:20 * ***

* * *

Angela stretched her hands up above her head as the boats rolled in and docked themselves at some kind of underground harbor. The first years all started clambering out onto the pebbles with hushed whispers. The sound of their voices rumbled over the stones in a unsteady hum of noise. Angela took in her surroundings.

Everyone was sticking in small groups. Some were groups of friends, like the Davenports and Silas Zabini and Irene Dillinger, while others decided to stick in the same groups of four they'd been with in their boats. Others still seemed to be stuck all by themselves, looking worried and unsure. It made Angela wanna herd all the loners together like sheep or something so that they'd have their own group and maybe be a little less nervous.

Professor Hagrid, who had begun to clamber up a passageway in the rocks, called back for the first years to keep up and follow him, and the others did, following the light of his lamp and he walked.

However Angela's attention was elsewhere.

Usually Elesa kept Angela on track in these kinds of situations. However, Angela's twin sister was completely engrossed in a conversation with the very cute Frank Longbottom and hadn't even noticed that Angela had been distracted by something.

"My dad's a professor here, you know? Herbology. It's pretty interesting but, personally, I prefer Charms or Defense Against the Dark Arts," The sound of Frank's voice only just barely resonated in Angela's mind as she watched something happening, several metres away. The carriages. The same carriages Angela had seen from the boats were parking outside by another entrance to the castle and student were piling out, joking and laughing happily.

It wasn't so much the carriages themselves that caught Angela's eye, but who she'd seen exiting the carriages. Across the way she could see the shape of a boy with square glasses and a messy undercut that she was sure belonged to James Potter. He stood there, smiling in his Gryffindor robes, with the two red headed tricksters Angela had seen on the train. There was also another, extremely pretty girl with him now, with chocolatey brown curls and flawless milky white skin. She was laughing as James whispered something in her ear and Angela could see a light blush spread across her rosy cheeks. This girl's robes, unlike her friends, who sported the traditional Gryffindor red, were adorned with the signature blue and bronze of the Ravenclaw house.

Angela pursed her lips, eyes locking onto James once more as she glanced back at the other first years. The last of her classmates had filed into the opening in the rocks like Hagrid had, leaving Angela alone. Perfect time to escape..!

Angela clenched her fists in determination. Right! Operation: 'Get Elesa to Meet Ginny Potter by Blatantly Using Her Son as a Means to an End' was ago!


	3. September, 1st, 2016 (part 3) Sneak Peek

**Author's Note: Oh my god, guys, I am so sorry the third chapter is taking so long. I know I said it would be out soon but things have been so busy lately, it's really been crazy. So, this is not the full third chapter, I'm sorry, but I figured I might as well release what I have so you guys have something while I finish up the rest of the chapter. It'll be done as soon as possible, but I'm honestly not sure when that will be. Hopefully you guys like this sneak peek and if you do please review and let me know what your thoughts are and let me know of any predictions or ideas you have for this story, because I definitely listen and if it works with the story, then I'll try to fit it in, so thanks for reading and for being patient! -Maisie  
**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE: SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2016**

* * *

 *** * 5:35 * ***

* * *

Thomas Hutchinson was a very hospitable young man and while Angela was a bit peeved she had screwed up her mission by losing sight of James Potter (again!) and getting lost, she was glad, at least, that it had been Hogwarts's friendly and cheerful caretaker who had found her and volunteered to return her to the Great Hall. As they walked, Thomas's cheerful smile was reflected on Angela's own face and she felt lucky knowing that Hogwarts was taken care of by such a nice guy. She couldn't imagine Hogwarts being nearly this nice if the caretaker was, say, some bitter, nasty, old man with a cat and a passionate contempt for children or something. Yup. Hogwarts would definitely suck if that were the case. But Angela knew _that_ was ridiculous, of course.

"So you're about to be sorted then?" Thomas asked, curiously. Thomas was a tall young man in his early twenties with shaggy, light brown hair and a splash of freckles across his nose and cheeks. His hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and he wore a white button up shirt and a old, leather trench coat. Suspenders kept his black jeans up and his feet were covered by big, black work boots.

Angela nodded in reply to Thomas's question, humming happily, "Yup, me and my twin sister both."

"Do you know what house you wanna be in?" Thomas asked.

Angela shrugged.

"I don't know, I guess I'm kinda cool with whatever. People act like it determines the rest of your life, but I think that's pretty dumb myself. Like, I don't care what house I'm in, I'm still gonna do whatever I want, so it doesn't really matter all that much," Angela explained.

Thomas beamed, "That's pretty smart of you."

"I'm a pretty smart girl," Angela nodded with a smug smirk, "but don't tell any my teachers that, then they'll start having _expectations_ of me."

"Well, we wouldn't want _that_ , now would we," Thomas laughed and ruffled Angela's hair. Angela giggled.

"What about you?" She asked, looking up at the older boy, "what house were you in when you went to Hogwarts?"

Thomas's cheeks turned a light shade of pink at the question and his shoulders tensed slightly, "Oh, well, I wasn't-... I mean, I-I didn't actually _go_ to Hogwarts myself, I went to a, um, muggle school." he said, his voice quieter than before, although he quickly added, "My mum says I'd have been a Hufflepuff if I did though. Dad says I could've been a Gryffindor, but I think mum was probably right..."

"Oh!" Angela snapped her fingers in realization, "You're a squib!"

"Er, yeah I am," Thomas forced a light chuckled, his cheeks turning an even darker shade of red, although Angela didn't seem to notice. If she had she might have noticed that she'd struck a nerve.

"But don't squibs usually work in the muggle world? Why do you work here?" She asked, oblivious to the older boy's discomfort.

Thomas looked down at his feet as they walked, "Oh, well, my mum is a chairman on the Hogwarts Board of Governors," Thomas explained, "She got me the job after the old caretaker passed away."

"Wow, that's pretty cool," Angela said cheerfully, humming quietly under her breath. Thomas looked up from his feet to see Angela grinning at him happily. He waited a moment before grinning back at her.

"Yeah, it is pretty cool, huh?" Thomas said, a bit more confidently as they approached a small oak door at the end of the hall. Thomas slowed to a halt, looking down at the first year girl next to him, "Well, that's the Great Hall there. The back entrance, that is. Ya think you can slip in there without being seen? Hate'ta see you get in trouble but that McGonagall has eyes like a hawk, ya know?"

Angela grinned and gave him a thumb up, "Don't worry, I got this! Thanks for showing me the way."

"Anytime, kiddo," Thomas beamed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"See ya around, Thomas!" Angela waved, voice growing softer as she edged towards the door, she looked back one last time to see Thomas wave goodbye to her before turning and making his way back down the hall the way they came.

She smiled and silently slipped into the great hall just as an old, wrinkled-looking witch called out, "Anderson, Grant."

Angela couldn't help but think, _Oh, so that's who I judo-flipped earlier_ , as the same boy from the train stepped out of line and approached the tall stool which stood before them.

Angela turned and spotted Elesa in the line-up, easily picking her out among the students by her beautiful braided hair and troubled expression. Angela made her way over, trying to make her footsteps silent as she snuck up behind her, reaching her hands up to hover over her sister's shoulders and waited for a moment before-

"Boo!"

* * *

 *** * 5:39 * ***

* * *

If Grant's heart was thumping before, it was now trying to leap out of his chest.

Not only was he the first in his class to be called up to get sorted, but just as he'd stepped out of line his heart stopped in it's tracks when a high pitched screech sounded behind him. He had to take a second to catch his breath but when he did, he turn to cast a harsh glare on whoever just gave him a freakin' heart attack.

When his eyes landed on the two offenders he nearly growled. It was that girl who'd attacked him on the train again. She was standing there looking far too pleased with herself as she pulled her hands away from where she'd grabbed her twin sister's shoulders. Right. Of course it was them. Because that's just what he needed; another pair of insufferable twins making his life miserable.

Headmistress McGonagall cleared her throat and gave the girls a disapproving look. The curly haired girl gave the Headmistress an innocent smile and while, yeah, it might have been kinda funny, Grant was too annoyed to care.

The headmistress shook her head before turning back to Grant and gesturing for him to sit down.

Grant took a deep breath and had to take a second to remember how to walk again before stepping forward and taking a seat on the hard, wooden stool in front of him. He fidgeted slightly in an attempt to get comfortable, although comfortable wasn't exactly a word he would apply to this situation.

Why was he so goddamn nervous? It wasn't as if Grant hadn't mentally prepared himself for this until now. He'd been thinking about this moment for months.

Porter's mom, Anaya Thornton, was one of the nicest people Grant has ever met. She had told Porter and Grant about the sorting ceremony first thing after they'd gotten their letters. She was the reason Grant knew half the things he knew about being a wizard. Porter was the other half.

When Grant had found out he was a wizard, he'd been a little nervous about what that meant but the Thorntons had been pretty great to him. Grant and Porter lived right next door to one another and Grant came over to Porter's house so often that they might as well have been brothers. Porter's mother had been so happy that her son's best friend had turned out to be a wizard as well that she'd prattled on for hours about magic and Hogwarts. So when Anaya Thornton described the sorting hat, she'd made it seem like the most magical thing on earth. Looking at it now, though, Grant felt… underwhelmed, and yet somehow, still intimidated.

Grant pushed those feelings aside and waited as McGonagall to place the hat on his head. Grant began to feel way too hot in his robes and his palms began to sweat. It was dark and quiet under the hat and it was hard to organize his thoughts since they were all coming at him at a mile a minute.

Grant nearly flung the hat off his freakin' head when he heard a quiet, deep voice speak in his ear, "Well, well, I see someone's nervous," it said smugly.

 _No shit,_ Grant thought before he could stop himself.

"Rude," He heard the hat retort, "Well, there's no need to be so tense, young man, this is an easy one…"

 _Really?_ Grant was boarder-line annoyed at that, _All that build up and I'm an easy one? I'm a complex human being, ya know. You don't know anything about me._

"You wanna bet?" The hat replied flatly, as if it were unimpressed, "Please do tell me if I'm off, but this world is new to you, is it not? This school is your chance to find out who your truly are and you're determined to discover more about yourself and earn your place among your peers. Yes, you've got no shortage of determination, and no shortage of daring either, for that matter. You aren't afraid to dive into the fray, no, but you have a nasty habit of doing so without thinking. Your bold but you can be rash and impulsive, especially when it's comes to defending for your friends. Have I gotten anything wrong? Have I proven myself capable of understanding a 'complex' individual, such as yourself, yet, or shall I continue?"

 _Stupid, smug hat,_ Grant huffed at the hat's superior tone _. I thought Porter's mom said you were supposed to be all mystical and wise or something._

"Yes, but only when the student isn't being a smart ass," The hat replied, boredly.

 _Hey!_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted out the house name out over the crowd of students and was snatched off Grant's head before he could even get in the last word.

 _Stupid hat…_

Still, Grant felt a bit of relief now that his sorting finally being over and done with. The Gryffindor table at the far left of the room had exploded with cheers the moment the hat had called out their name. Grant smiled a little at the sight of two of redheaded kids who were whooping and hollering louder than anyone else in the crowd.

Grant hopped off the stool and made his way over to the table, only stopping for a moment to look back at his friends. Grant gave Porter a smirk and a two-fingered salute for good luck, which the other boy returned as Grant took his seat.

Now he could only hope Porter would make it into Gryffindor too.

* * *

Porter sighed. This was boring. Why did they have to go in alphabetical order? Why did his last name have to start with a T? Why did Grant's have to start with an A? This would definitely be less boring if Grant was still waiting in line with him...

After Grant was sorted, the next kid up to hat (get it? Like up to bat, but, like, with a hat?) was sorted into Hufflepuff in five seconds flat. Meanwhile, Porter still stood with Lysander and Lorcan in line, bored out of his mind.

Naturally, this is when Porter started thinking up ways to do what every pre-teen boy does best: Annoy the shit out of people. Or make them laugh. Whatever came first.

But how though...

"Butkus, Stephanie," McGonagall called.

Welp, if the universe wanted to make things easy for him…

Porter leaned towards Lysander with a large grin on his face, whispering loudly enough so that the other kids could hear, "Stephanie Butt-kiss? Really? As opposed to her evil twin sister, Stephanie Arse-kiss"

Porter's comment was answered with a series of stifled giggles from the other kids that made him smirk with pride. McGonagall gave the first years a warning look, ordering them to be quiet as she placed the sorting hat over Stephanie's eyes.

 _Aw yeah_ , Porter smirked. _This could work…_

Lysander on Porter's right simply rolled his eyes, "Okay, two things. First off, why would her evil twin sister have the same first name as her, and second off, why would they have different last names? That makes no logical sense."

"It's a joke, it doesn't have to," Porter shrugged.

"I beg to differ," Lysander argued.

After a moment of waiting the Sorting hat made up it's mind, shouting, "HUFFLEPUFF!" so that McGonagall could call up the next name on the list.

"Creed, Pamela"

Porter watched as a brown haired girl with freckles and an upturned nose stepped forward. Porter evaluated her before nudging Lysander and whispering, "Okay, I'll be the first to admit it, she's hot but I'm thinking that if I were dating her, I wouldn't be able to say the words 'I'm dating Pamela _Creed'_ with pride."

Lysander gave Porter an unimpressed look as some of the other students laughed. Out of the corner of his eye Porter could see Pamela Creed turned a furious shade of red and shoot him a glare before pulling on the cap.

"Why not, exactly?" Lysander asked.

"Because Creed's a dumb name,"

"How is Creed a dumb name?" Lysander furrowed his brow at him.

"Are we talking about Assassin's Creed?" Porter asked seriously.

"No?"

"Well there you go then!"

"Oh my god," Lysander groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he gave a huff of laughter and shook his head, "Dude, _shut up._ "

"Well," Lysander's twin brother, Lorcan said, shrugging. "I do agree with you that she is kinda hot…"

"SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat called.

Lorcan and Porter exchanged a look and shuddered at the mention of the snake house, laughing as they agreed, "Nevermind."

Lysander rolled his eyes at them again and scoffed.

A couple sortings went by without interruption, but not that many since Porter had decided to make it his mission to poke fun at as many kids names as possible.

Porter had to admit it was fun to guess what houses kids were going into, although he was surprised by how often he was wrong.

Some were pretty obvious, though, like the Davenports for example, who made their way into Slytherin without a hitch. But that much was obvious to anyone with two eyes and half a brain.

Porter's personal favorite, however, was a Hufflepuff kid named "Dunn-Moredick, Martin," to which Porter groaned and gave the pudgy boy a sympathetic look.

"Oh dude, that's unfortunate," Porter shook his head, "I mean, c'mon, Dunn _hyphen_ Moredick? Like, it's one thing to have _one_ shitty last name, but _two_? God, I am so sorry man. I mean, it's makin' my day but still..."

"Mister Thornton, Please!" McGonagall finally snapped, "That is enough. Now, unless you would like to spend your free time after class in detention for the first week of school, I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

Porter was too busy grinning to really care how the headmistress threatened him. Not when everyone in line around him was laughing and grinning right along with him. Out of the corner of his eyes, Porter could even see the girl from the train, the one who'd judo-flipped Grant, absolutely shaking with laughter as she held onto her sister, Elesa, in an attempt not to keel over.

Despite the fact that she'd kicked Grant's arse, Porter was pretty sure he liked that girl.

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	4. IMPORTANT NEWS

Greeting my Wonderful Readers,

I realize it's been quite awhile since I've posted and with such slow updates to this and other stories, I've seemed more than a little dead. It's true this story, as well as others, have been put on the back burner for the past few months and that's what I'm here to address.

Recently been working on several projects, including other fanfictions, an original series of middle-grade novels. In addition, I've been absent from Fanfiction because I have chosen to switch over to Archive of Our Own. There's no real reason for this change other than I just prefer the format and platform and it allows more opportunity for helpful and productive interactions between readers and authors.

But the other project I've been working on lately (and my motivation for writing this) is the development of my author platform.

Since I've been working on the first book of my original series for quite some time, it's about time I start to develop my name as an author and build a connection with my target audience. And since no one ever established this by just setting up a couple social media accounts and talking about themselves endlessly, part of this usually includes offering some kinda service to engage my audience and build a connection with them before my future book release. Most commonly, these services include book reviews and writing advice, but for me, I'm choosing to build my author platform on Fanfiction and Fanart, as well as (hopefully) animated videos giving writing advice specifically for preteen and teen writers.

Now that leads me to what this all has to do with the Renegades: Since Harry Potter is one of the main middle-grade stories that's inspired me, continuing this story is going to be a big part of that.

The first chapter of the Renegades will be going up on Ao3, hopefully on July 7th. The pen name it will most likely be posted under will be Delaney_Spinazzola (That's Delaney[underscore]Spinazzola) and yes, that is my real name. It's a name reveal! Exciting! :00

If anything concerning where you can find the Renegades changes, I will be leaving this version of the story up until July 23rd, in order to post any updates or corrections and also to give everyone a chance to get this message.

For information on my new posting schedule, news on original series, updates on my fanfictions, fanart, and news on my animated writing videos, I recommend following me on Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter (possibly YouTube in the future) My Instagram and Tumblr can both be found under delaneyspinazzola, and my Twitter handle is laneyspinazzola (That's [at-symbol]laneyspinazzola)

Thank you for all your support and being such, such, such wonderful readers, I literally couldn't ask for a more amazing audience.

With so much love,  
Piper-Audrey, Maisie, Delaney


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